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An Evening In Tower Bridge & An Interview With Tom Kerridge

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Last week I was invited to a rather awesome press event in Tower Bridge. Although I head to London quite often for various events I never end up doing anything remotely touristy so it was fun to wander around gazing at The Thames ( rather brown and murky ) and I was quite excited to get inside and have a look around.

Tower bridge

They have this glass floor in the walkway between the two towers which seems ok when you stand on it but try walking along it whilst looking down – that’s a little eery.

Zwilling modern living kitchen

Anyway.. I was invited by Zwilling to attend their event called The Modern Living Kitchen. The event was showcasing products from their brands Staub and Demeyere and there were also a few chefs doing live demos. I do love a chef demo, whether it’s a celebrity chef in the Good Food Show Supertheatre or a local chef cooking in an open kitchen – I just love watching people creating dishes. One of the chefs was Tom Kerridge and I’m a bit of a fan. Myself and Andrew love watching his shows and I’d seen him do wonderful things with bone marrow just a few weeks previously at the NEC so I was excited to chat to him and watch him cook.

The event was good fun although as it was held on the hottest day of the year it was incredibly hot and sticky! I felt sorry for the chefs cooking but not sorry enough that I didn’t want to sample the food 😉

Myself and fellow blogger Lovely Appetite enjoyed looking at the products and mentally adding things to our kitchen wish lists. For the record I really loved the mini cocette stand and this gorgeous large red cocette:
Cocette

Tom Kerridge was just as lovely in person as he seems on his shows and it was fun to watch him cook and listen to him chat to us about his restaurant.

Tom Kerridge Zwilling

An Interview With Tom Kerridge:

I asked him a few questions and this is what he had to say:

With the success and rather incredible waiting list at The Hand and Flowers how do you manage to keep things fresh on your menu? Is it difficult to continue to experiment as a chef when you are so busy?

To be honest, the Hand and Flowers isn’t about experimenting freshness and pushing the boundaries of cuisine, its always been about robust food, just the best produce. When we find a dish that works, it slowly evolves rather than quickly adapts.

Do you have a favourite dish that you could cook over and over again and never get bored of it?

The omelette Arnold Bennett has been on from the start and is incredibly well rehearsed. Four very simple components – great eggs, beautiful smoked haddock, first class parmesan, and a well seasoned glaze. Like anything, the more you practise something the better you become at it.

How many staff do you have working for you at your restaurant?

Across both sites, The Hand and Flowers and The Coach, there are 85 members of staff.

Is there a dish that is so popular that you wouldn’t consider removing it from the menu?

It is not about popularity, its about a vibe and a feel, so steak and chips has been on from the beginning, because I think every good pub should offer it. I can’t ever see that not being on the menu.

Do you have any favourite Zwilling products that you would recommend to home chefs?

I’m a huge fan of all Staub ware for its multifunction use, it cooks well and is fantastic to serve in. Its robust and lasts a long time. Also the Zwilling pans cookware and the Demeyere cook range have an exceptional build quality, and conduct heat beautifully and evenly.

You explained earlier that your staff had a fist fight to get their hands on a certain pan, which pan was that? ( because I think I need it )

It was one of the first Demeyere frying pans that we came across.

And last but not certainly not least.. How do I get a table? 😉

Try on our website, www.thehandandflowers.co.uk, or drop us an email, its always best to be flexible which what you are looking for, and we promise we will get you in evenly.

Thanks to Tom for answering my questions and to Zwilling for a fun evening.

Sweet Potato & Butter Bean Burgers – Meat Free Monday

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It’s funny how recipes come about, last week I baked a load of sweet potatoes. I always tend to bake 5 or 6 at a time and I use them in soups or as an accompaniment just to make my life a little easier. Chloe and Izzy both love sweet potatoes and they are so versatile..apparently you can even use them in brownies although I’m yet to try that.

I decided to whip up some veggie burgers but I didn’t really want a lot of fiddling about so this is a really simple recipe. These are gluten and dairy free.

You will need:

2 medium sweet potatoes, baked and flesh scooped out
1/4 large red onion, diced
1 can of butter beans, drained and mashed
1 tsp of sweet smokey paprika
1 egg yolk ( or 1 whole egg )
Pinch of sea salt and cracked black pepper
1 cup of polenta in a bowl
1/2 cup of oil (I used vegetable oil for some and coconut oil for others)

Preheat oven to 200/gas mark 5.

Mix your sweet potato, diced onion, butter beans, paprika, seasoning and egg until thoroughly combined.

Sweet potato mash burgers

Using your hands (this is the easiest, yet messiest way) scoop a handful and squish into a patty shape, dip into the polenta until covered all over. Pour some oil into a large frying pan over a medium heat and quickly brown both sides in batches then put on a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes.

Sweet potato veggie burgers

Baked sweet potato burgers

I served mine with salad, potatoes and some BBQ sauce. You could also serve in a bun like a traditional burger or it’s really nice in a wrap.

Sweet potatoes burgers, salad and BBQ sauce

These are also good the following day reheated.

*I’ve since made these again and I sautéed the onions first and I much preferred the flavour but for a quick meal with minimal prep it’s fine to just thrown them in raw.

*These are gluten free and vegetarian, if you are not a vegetarian I think adding some diced chorizo would make these even better.

Chocolate Topped Coconut Biscuits – Dairy & Gluten Free

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Since we have discovered that Chloe can no longer have gluten ( along with dairy and soya ) we have had to radically rethink the way we cook and buy her food, I’ve been experimenting and creating recipes which will make her meals and snacks more enjoyable. I’ve recently made these coconut biscuits topped with chocolate which are deliciously moreish, completely dairy and gluten free and so easy to make.

These are delicious with a cup of tea (for me of course, not the kids ) and stay fresh for at least 5 days in an airtight container – they were all gone after that. They also freeze well, I popped a few in to test it and when pulled out a few hours before or even popped into an over to lightly heat and crisp up again they are delicious. If freezing, do not add the chocolate until defrosted.

You will need:

175g Caster Sugar
150g Gluten Free Self Raising Flour
100g Shredded/Dessicated coconut
100g Coconut Oil ( I used Vita Coco )
100g of dairy/soya free chocoate
1 Beaten Egg

Preheat oven to gas mark 4/180.

Melt your coconut oil and add it to your other ingredients apart from the chocolate. Mix well then place in small spoonfuls on a lined baking sheet. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Be aware these go from undercooked to overlooked very quickly so keep a close eye. These do spread a little so space out well. They are done when the edges are golden but the middle still looks pale, remove from oven and leave for a few minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack.

Dairy and gluten free coconut biscuits

When just slightly warm, drizzle melted chocolate over half of the biscuits and leave half plain for when you are out and about and don’t want chocolate all over your child.

This makes between 20-30 biscuits depending on your size preference.

Coeliac toddler snack ideas

Chocolate cookies gluten and dairy free

It’s not easy having a toddler who is gluten free and even harder to explain to her slightly bigger sister why she can’t share her treats with her so these are perfect as they are tasty enough for them both to enjoy and share.

3 Ingredient Nutella Cake & 4 Ingredient Nutella Brownies

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I’m sure you have all seen the photos floating around of the 3 ingredient Nutella brownies. They are everywhere right now. Buzzfeed, Facebook, Twitter..Instagram.

I of course took it upon myself to try them out and let you know how it went. The recipe I originally followed was from Instructables. It called for 280g Nutella with 62g of plain flour and 2 eggs. Simple. The method is easy too, mix it all together and bake for about 30 minutes. The mixture looked pretty good:

I baked it for just 20 minutes as I could tell it was done. When I cut into it I discovered it was more of a cake than a brownie, a delicious cake but a cake none the less. It would be lovely served with custard or ice cream while warm or left to cool and topped with icing or chocolate. They would be great for children at picnics as they are less squidgy and messy than normal brownies.

3 ingredient Nutella brownies

I was a bit annoyed though that they weren’t brownies so after a bit of experimenting and a bit of Instagram help – thanks Not Another Mummy Blog I made these 4 ingredient Nutella brownies:

You will need:

400g of Nutella ( or supermarket own brand Choc Hazelnut spread )
2 eggs
65g plain flour
50g dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180/gas mark 4.
Mix all ingredients together, pour into a greased and lined square baking tray (approximately 9 x 9inches)

and bake for about 25 minutes until the top is set but it’s still a bit jiggly and squidgy inside.

Now these were brownies, fudgy and super chocolatey.
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Nutella brownies

If you eat these while warm you will occasionally get a bite of melted, gooey chocolate which just takes it up a notch. Add some salted caramel sauce and perfecto.

Avoiding Holiday Drama

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Do you ever find that sometimes the lead up to a holiday can be so stressful that you almost find yourself wondering what’s the point? Especially with small children thrown into the balance.

The only way I find to avoid this pre holiday meltdown is to plan, plan, plan. Nothing is left to the last minute in this house when holidays are coming up. I make lots of lists, lists for the bag for the car. You know the bag with all you need to save your sanity on long car journeys – DVDs, iPads, books, etch a sketch, snacks, more snacks, drinks and all the wet wipes plus caffeine for the driver of course.

Then there is the actual journey planning, the best way I find to avoid a huge you shouldn’t have taken that road argument is to use a satnav. Be prepared with all the postal codes you need before you go. I tend to note them in my phone as that rarely leaves my side whereas a bit of paper will definitely go astray. When you arrive at your destination particularly if you are flying somewhere you can save a fortune by prebooking your parking. There are lots of companies who offer this service including Purple Parking who also have a really helpful holiday advice section.

Next up is the wardrobe planning, unless you are going somewhere with guaranteed sunshine I advise preparing for all weathers but if you don’t want an overloaded suitcase you can buy roll up macs which fold into pockets or little bags which I find really useful. I tend to take light cardigans or sweaters when I travel abroad as I’m always cold on the plane and it tends to get chilly at night even in warmer countries.

I also take snacks suitable for the children and us, no matter where we go. We usually eat out in restaurant/cafés when we go away but it’s the little snacks and treats throughout the day which eat away at the holiday budget so granola bars or packs of crackers etc are really handy for hungry children and for grown ups too.

On the subject of children I find when you are off on a journey, short or long it’s of the utmost importance that they are wearing comfy clothes, no zips or buttons or stiff denim. They need to be cool and relaxed with extra layers in case it gets chilly. This is not bad advice for adults either. If you think your children may sleep on route ( lucky you ) then pack their teddies or snuggly blankets in your hand luggage or somewhere close for you to grab if going by car. Don’t let yourself head into a meltdown when your 2 year old realises you don’t have her monkey!

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Do you have any useful tips to help destress the lead up to your holiday so that all you have to worry about is take off?

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*This post is in collaboration with Purple Parking.

From Garden To Plate At The Newbridge On Usk

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A few weeks ago we were invited to A Garden To Plate cookery demonstration and lunch at The Newbridge On Usk. I’d never visited the hotel before although I have stayed at The Celtic Manor which is part of the same resort.

As much as we loved The Celtic Manor and would visit again in a flash The Newbridge On Usk is a totally different experience. They are both luxurious and the quality of the food and surroundings are the same but Newbridge On Usk is a quiet gem tucked away in the countryside next to the river Usk and it’s beauty took my breath away a little. I spent most of the day oohing and ahhing at the scenery and the beautiful family of swans gliding proudly along the river and that’s before we even got to the food.

The Garden To Plate day is part of a new feature at the hotel of live cookery demonstrations and is a day of foodie heaven. On arrival we were greeted with tea and coffee and a brief introduction to the day from general manager Ronan Hunter before heading outside and down to the gardens for a look around. Head gardener Anthony Maw obviously takes great pride in his job which you can see in the selection of produce in abundance in the gardens as well as the pretty area created that you can sit in to watch the world go by. As a food lover I loved peeking around the gardens and nosing at the various herbs.

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We then headed up to the new patio area for the demonstration which was presented by head chef Adam Whittle and his sous chef Rob Maw, they showed us how to prepare and cook scallops with an incredible aubergine purée followed by two different types of meringue which were used to make a disorganised mess :-).

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It was really interesting listening to Adam Whittle talk us through the process of making the dishes and the best part of course was getting to sample them afterwards. Adam is keen to always use the best local produce and they also forage locally for ingredients. I love this shop/use local ethos which you tend to find in higher quality restaurants in Wales. I’d never actually tasted scallops as I’m not that keen on seafood but they were incredible and I think I’m going to have to give them a whirl – the burnt aubergine purée will definitely be making it’s way onto my menu soon.

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After the demonstration we got to enjoy an incredible blackberry and apple mojito created using blackberry sirop from local producer Angharad from The Preservation Society. I’m a bit of a fan of these sirops, having bottles of the strawberry and raspberry in my cupboards most of the time and I need to get my hands on a bottle of the blackberry one!

We headed inside for lunch next created by Adam and his team. It was delectable. Unfortunately we had to leave early so we only got to sample the first two courses and I was most disappointed to miss out on the dessert and the petit fours but the first two courses were delicious.

Whilst we waited for our starter we had fresh bread along with a Pinot Grigio.. Lunchtime drinking is something I rarely do so I had a happily hazy head by this point. Our starter of sea trout was beautifully presented and part of the dish was a cucumber sorbet which was really unusual and refreshing.

Newbridge on usk

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The main course was the highlight for me, the trio of lamb was so tasty and I loved the different ways of serving one of my favourite meats. I somehow managed to not get a photo of the main but I assure you it that it was spectacular. This was served with a glass of red wine. The restaurant is rustic and comfortable with all the additional touches you would expect of a restaurant of this calibre. I felt really relaxed and comfortable there.. although I guess that could have been the lunchtime wine 😉

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There are a few more cookery demos coming up this summer at The Celtic Manor with the next one being an afternoon tea priced at £40 which includes a live demo, gin and tonics and a full afternoon tea – if it’s anything like the event above this is a great price and would make a fabulous gift. I’m also fancying the Christmas preserves one..a girl can dream yes?

This post is part of series of reviews and articles about Wales, you can find more in The Wonders Of Wales.

* Myself and my partner were invited to this event for the purpose of a review.

The Vale Resort – Supper, Sleep & Spa Review

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When we were invited to review The Vale Resort in the Vale Of Glamorgan I was really excited. My parents had stayed there along with my sister a few years ago and had a fabulous time so I expected it to be good but it far exceeded my expectations.

We have stayed in some amazing hotels over the past few years and this is right up there amongst the best of them. Let’s have a bit of hotel info to start us off:

The Vale Resort is a four star hotel and leisure resort which will not definitely not disappoint. Tucked away in 650 acres of stunning Welsh countryside the resort has 143 bedrooms as well as two championship golf courses, Wales’ largest spa, an award-winning restaurant and quality sporting facilities making the Vale Resort one of the UK’s most desirable golf and leisure break destinations.

Each room has been designed with comfort and convenience in mind. Many have balconies with superb views over the golf courses and surrounding countryside.

On arrival to the hotel you are welcomed by their super friendly staff and shown to your room. I was really impressed with our room which had a balcony overlooking the beautiful grounds. It was modern and airy with dark wooden floors, a luxurious bathroom and a rather fantastic chandelier. Each room contains robes and slippers for each guest as well as bottled water, tea and coffee.

Rooms at vale resort

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The toiletries in the bathroom are from The White Company which immediately put a smile on my face as I love The White Company. We made a cup of tea and sat on the balcony to enjoy the afternoon sunshine before heading down to the pool for a quick dip then onto the spa for our massages.

The pool is large and although there was an aerobics class on there was still plenty of room for us to swim in peace, we had a relax in the jacuzzi and sweated it out in the sauna before showering and heading upstairs to the spa. The spa is beautifully calm and has a chai cafe just outside the treatment rooms too.

The masseuse had her work cut out with me and my super tense shoulders and the knottiest back she had worked with in a while – I guess the hours of being sat up rocking Chloe haven’t helped that much! I felt quite tender after my massage but incredibly loose and relaxed and I felt that way for days which is a sure sign of how good the massage was. Back to the room for a long luxurious bath and some pampering with the fabulous toiletries.

That evening we ate dinner in the AA Rosette award winning restaurant The Vale Grill and enjoyed a superb three course meal. Here are some photos to whet your appetite:

The vale grill

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The vale grill The vale grill pork

Every course was considered and well balanced with incredible flavours and presentation, I enjoyed a glass of Rose with mine whilst Andrew had a beer.

After dinnerware we had a stroll before heading off to sleep in the super comfy and huge bed. I lay in bed a while gazing at this gorgeous chandelier in our room:

Hotel chandelier

Breakfast was served the next morning in The Vale Grill and there were plenty of options available. I never want to eat much first in the morning but I made myself a small breakfast from the buffet as it looked so good and I was not disappointed. Plenty of juice options and fruits as well as the standard cooked breakfast and pastries were on offer as well.

The vale resort breakfast

Check out wasn’t until 11am so we had a dip in the pool and then lounged around on the balcony reading and enjoying the peace until we reluctantly left.

A dinner, bed and spa stay can be booked from as little as £99 per person and let me tell you – that’s an absolute steal for what you get. If you want a budget friendly break in a high quality hotel with all the trimmings of a 5 star hotel I certainly recommend this.

This post is part of a series of reviews and articles about Wales. You can find more in The Wonders Of Wales.

*We were invited to review the dinner, spa and stay offer and as such our stay was free of charge.

Win A Personalised Crate Of Lindeman’s Wine & Goodies Worth £100

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You have probably heard me talking about Lindeman’s wine on the blog a few times. We really enjoy it, it’s budget friendly and tastes fabulous.

Each bottle from the Lindeman’s Bin Range has recently been spruced up with the new logo, which is focussed on the brand’s Australian background. The phrase ‘In Life Happiness’, which appears on the bottle in Latin, reflects Dr. Henry Lindeman’s words ‘the one purpose of wine is to bring happiness’.

I know wine makes me happy. I only ever drink a glass or so but a crisp glass of wine with good food. Sunshine right there.

Lindeman’s Bin 95 Sauvignon Blanc is perfect for dinner parties. This variety has a distinctive finish, with fruity tones of green apples, which complement salads and make it an idealchoice for barbecues.

Talking of barbecues..

When the sun is shining we enjoy Lindeman’s Bin 35 Rose. Its a soft, fruity wine which is delightful, particularly when enjoyed lying in the garden on a giant bean bag with a plate of cheese and olives. I mean seriously that is the only way you can drink it 😉

Those are our favourites but there are lots more to choose from and yes you get to choose in this great competition. You will receive all of the following if you are the lucky winner:

Personalised storage crate with your name engraved on the lid
2 bottles of Lindeman’s wine from the Bin Series ( your choice)
A pair of John Lewis wine glasses
Chalk board wine stopper
Disposable camera with a vintage design
Packet of sunflower seeds with Lindeman’s personalisation

Lindemans personalised crate

Good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

6 Reasons Forest Holidays Are Great For Kids

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You may remember that we recently went on a review break to Forest Holidays in The Forest of Dean, a full review of our stay will be up next week but first up I wanted to share six reasons why Forest Holidays are great for kids. These were answers given to me by Izzy when I asked what her favourite parts of the holiday were:

1. Going on the special bikes.

Both our girls loved the special bikes ( adult bikes with a tag along trailer attached ) that you could hire at Forest Holidays and their shouts of delight when Andrew whittled through the forest with them attached to his bike could be heard for miles.

Forest holidays bike hire

2. Going on a mini beast adventure and colouring the trees.

During our stay we went on a Forest Ranger experience which involved going out for a walk through the forest with the really helpful and friendly ranger ( I wish I could remember his name as he was fab ) hunting for mini beasts ( bugs ) and doing a little tree rubbing ..obviously we didn’t actually draw on the trees 😉 The children collected leaves, twigs and pine cones to create a face mask when we returned to the lodge reception. Both girls had a ball. Can’t recommend this experience enough.

Forest ranger experience

Tree rubbing forest holidays

3. Making Dens with Daddy.

There are lots of little dens all strewn about the forest and of course you can create your own from scratch too. Izzy and Chloe both enjoyed running around finding the best sticks to build up the den which someone had started outside our lodge.

Den building forest holidays

4. Our swimming pool bath…and the duck. Definitely the duck.

By swimming pool bath she means the hot tub. This was a favourite for all of us. It was so incredibly relaxing and as it was literally outside our back door we could run in with the girls bundled up in towels so they didn’t get cold. There is a forest holidays rubber ducky on top of each hot tub lid when you arrive and Izzy fell a bit in love with ours. In fact I had to sneak it out of her bag before we packed up to leave.

Forest holidays hot tub
Family hot tub forest holidays

5. Running around and playing on the big swing.

They ran around all day every day. Tiring themselves out, getting rosy cheeked and loving the fresh air. In fact we all felt pretty good and a lot worn out each evening. The big swing is the large swing in the park which comfortably sat me and both girls while Andrew swung us higher and higher.

Forest holidays park

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6. The Ice Cream.. The one with chewy bits.

There was only supposed to be 5 reasons but Izzy kept talking about the ice cream so I thought we had to make it 6. She is talking about the Marshfield Farm toffee ice cream which she loved and you could buy from the shop at reception. Chloe even tried the lemon sorbet..possibly a little too sharp for her 😉

Marshfield farm lemon sorbet

Camp Bestival: What To Take – Part 1

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Camp Bestival is a highlight of our summer. It’s not easy to find a holiday which suits all generations of a family. Because Camp Bestival is a holiday not just a festival. You can arrive on the Thursday lunchtime and depart on a Monday morning..definitely a mini break if not a full blown holiday.

And when you go on holiday..you need to PACK.

Packing is an important part of the lead up to Camp Bestival because there’s a bit of a walk from the car park to the camping or glamping areas so you don’t want to take too much BUT there are things you need to take. Things which will make your time more comfortable, things to fill your belly ( bacon ) and things to numb the pain if your child won’t sleep.. ( wine ) but today we are starting off this three part post with:

Things to pack which will save you money:

Festivals can get expensive. Your child will want or even NEED everything that they see other children with. You will be hungry all the time, being outside does that to you ( it’s not just me ..is it? ) and you know ..there’s the bubbles so let’s start there.

1. Bubbles – big shiny bubbles are everywhere at CB and your child will want to be a part of it. Of course bubble guns and bubble mixtures are more expensive at festivals than say off Amazon or in your local supermarket. Plan ahead. Buy the best bubble wands and guns you can find within your budget and take back ups of mixture. Then pack some extra mixture ..just in case. Don’t worry about lugging it all from the car – this is what I consider an essential item. It will save you oodles of pounds and a good chunk of your sanity.

Bubble Inc camp Bestival

Bubbles

2. Face Paint – every child is wandering around with glitter tattoos and funky face designs. Don’t be the poor fool who pays £5 to have a princess design for this to be angrily smudged off and a lion demanded within seconds – I actually saw this happen last year. I think I saw tears form in the mothers eye. Buy
some good quality face paints, a pack of wipes and doodle away.

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3. Fancy Dress and/or an animal like onesie:

Fancy Dress because it’s just fun. There is a theme each year with this being CB Goes Wild. But any fancy dress will go down well at this festival. Izzy loved running around in her tinkerbell dress last year and her furry bear onesie. On the onesie topic .. There are so many onesies. Bright ones, furry ones..rather snug ones hmmm. Take a onesie (at least for the kids).

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4. Snacks:

Now I’m not saying don’t buy food there because the food at CB is extremely awesome and actually one of my very favourite parts of the festival but take snacks. Things like cereal bars, crackers, boxes of raisins, fruit etc for your children and also for you because you do a lot of walking and you get really hungry. Save your money for actual meals, ice cream and Jamjar cocktails ( obviously for you and not for the kids ).

Camp Bestival Grub:
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5. Batteries/ rechargeable power packs for cameras, phones and torches:

Just because it’s sensible. OR you could be even more sensible and just take new batteries in your devices. If like me you don’t like to be phone less then buy a power pack before you go as if you have to charge while you are there ( in standard camping at least) you will need to pay and also queue to charge your phone. Just take back ups. Simple.

And that’s that for part 1. Next week I’ll be focussing on what you need in your tent. Any questions please comment or drop me an email.