Berenjak

★★★★★ Experience Persian Flavours in the Heart of Borough! Where? Borough Market & Soho How much? ££ Cuisine? Persian Vegetarian options? Yes Vegan options? Yes Gluten free options? Yes Visiting the Borough branch of this family-owned business, I was immediately struck by the unique decadence of its façade: stained glass mandalas arching above the windowsContinueContinue reading “Berenjak”

Rita’s Dining

★★★★ The American Diner, With a British Twist Where? Soho, 49 Lexington St, Carnaby, London W1F 9AP How much? ££ Cuisine? American dining, seasonal British ingredients Vegetarian? Yes, limited Vegan? Yes, limited Gluten free? Yes I had Rita’s on my radar as one of the top London restaurants to visit, so when the opportunity toContinueContinue reading “Rita’s Dining”

Out with the Old and In with the New

I’d like to welcome you all to the newly revamped blog, Calendar Girl, formerly known as The Amateur Archive. Some of you may have noticed a fresh new name, a vibrant colour scheme, and a catchy new tagline: “Plans Made Easy.” Calendar Girl is here to help you effortlessly plan your weekends and travel adventures,ContinueContinue reading “Out with the Old and In with the New”

3Bis

★★★★★ Borough’s Best-Kept Secret: The Gelateria That Londoners Don’t Want You to Know About. Where? Borough Market, 4, Park Street & Notting Hill, 178 Portobello Road How much? ££ What? Italian Gelateria Caught in the unbearable heat of mid-June, while sweating amidst the ravenous Borough Market crowds, spotting a cup full of cool gelato feltContinueContinue reading “3Bis”

Bubala

★★★★★ Culinary Contenders: The All-Vegetarian Restaurant Shaking Up the London Food Scene! Where? Spitalfields, 65 Commercial St, London E1 6BD / Soho How much? ££ Cuisine? Middle-eastern What? Vegetarian sharing plates Gluten free options? Yes This all-vegetarian restaurant is raising the stakes within the restaurant industry, proving that you don’t have to serve meat inContinueContinue reading “Bubala”

Fall in Love with Florence

10 Magnificent Marvels in Italy’s Renaissance City Welcome to the idyllic city of Florence, where timeless allure meets avant-garde elegance. As the former political capital of Italy, this Renaissance haven exudes an aura of sophistication and cultural refinement. Prepare to be enchanted as you wander through its cobblestone streets, soaking in the opulence of itsContinueContinue reading “Fall in Love with Florence”

London’s Lavender Fields

The purple sea home to the honeybees Where? Mayfield Lavender Farm, 1 Carshalton Rd, Banstead SM7 3JA. How much? £5 adult entry/ When? Bloom’s from end of June and peaks during July and August. What? Family run farm open to the public, with cafe and shop. Accessible? Yes – wheelchair and dog friendly. On theContinueContinue reading “London’s Lavender Fields”

Strakers

★★★★ Butter than expected Where? Westbourne Park, 91 Golborne Rd, London W10 5NL How much? ££-£££ What? Seasonal ingredients, mixed cuisine Welcome back to episode 90 of all things The Amateur Archive: this is a review of Strakers, by Thomas Straker. Between the vibrant streets of Westbourne Park and Ladbroke Grove lies the culinary debutContinueContinue reading “Strakers”

London’s most talked about Strawberries

★★★★★ Borough Market’s Worst Kept Secret Where? Borough Market, Turnips, London SE1 9AH How much? £7.50 If you dare to venture into Borough Market any time soon, brace yourself for a hilarious sight: a horde of chocolate chinned foodies! Prepare yourself for an abundance of juicy strawberries and indulgent chocolate at every corner. If you’reContinueContinue reading “London’s most talked about Strawberries”

Troubadour

★★★★ London’s oldest independent live music venue Where? West Brompton, 265-267 Old Brompton Rd, London SW5 9JA How much? ££ What? Modern British restaurants and live music venue The Troubadour is renowned as one of London’s longest running live music venues, opening its doors in the 1950s, and hosting the likes of Elton John andContinueContinue reading “Troubadour”