Isolation Honesty

Wow, what a time to be alive!
I often find myself sitting in bed at night, deep in thought, still trying to understand what is happening in the world and how shocking I still find it that we're living through this nightmare.
The mix of emotions i'm feeling towards this pandemic and lockdown are from one extreme to the next, frustration, fear, anxiousness to name a few of the negative. I miss my family, I miss my friends, I miss being able to go to the shop without needing to wear protective equipment and lining up for half an hour, I miss being able to go for a coffee, I miss being free.
But on the flip side, I find myself some days, enjoying this period and really appreciating what it has given me, what it is teaching me and what it has allowed me to do. I read a quote on instagram last night which said, when there is rain, look for the rainbow, when there is darkness look for the stars. And how true is that?
There will always be rainstorms and darkness in our lives, whether it's personal problems, work difficulty, or a worldwide virus - but you know what else there always is? There's always a light at the end of the tunnel, there's always some positivity that can be found in any situation, no matter how small or far away it may seem.
So i've decided that i'm no longer going to dwell in the what if's, no longer going to fixate on the negatives - and every time I do feel a little deflated i'm going to read a list of positive point I made for this time. So, I want to say - thank you lockdown, you have given me time with my family that I would never of had without you.

You have given me the opportunity to learn new recipes and cook the things i've not had the time to, you've given us all something to look foward to when this is all over and you've made us realise how much we cant live without our friends and family, you've made me less busy which has helped me to focus on things that are so important but sometimes take a back seat like praying and reading the bible, you've given me the opportunity to stay on top of all my housework which makes me feel great (and even had time to clean out the cupboard i've been meaning to clean for the last 6 months!), but most importantly, you've taught me what matters. You've taught me that your health is more important than anything and should take a priority in your life, you've stripped me of all my luxuries and reminded me what is, and what is not a necessity , and you've also made me realise that anything can happen at any time, life shouldn't be taken for granted but unfortunately sometimes it is, and if this pandemic has taught me anything its that.

I hope you all look past the clouds and all your skies are blue and bright very soon. 

All the best, 
Kat

Stay Home, Stay Safe and cook up a storm!

Half way through week 4 of isolation in the UK and I have been amazed at how so many business and individuals have adapted to this incredibly unusual and unsettling situation.

Many in the events and hospitality industry have truly kept me motivated; there have been many live cooking demos, live chats and blogs to keep us trying new things, reading, learning and growing.

So I wanted to share with you a few pages that have encouraged me to try new things in the kitchen. I love food and cooking however I just don’t usually get time to cook as much as Id like so these past few weeks have given me the chance to rekindle that love. However I am looking forward to visiting all the lovely restaurant we have here in London & I will never take any of them for granted again!

The first live cooking class I joined was by @bigmamma.uk. Gloria’s is one of my favourite Italian Restaurants in London, so I was super excited to take part. We made gnocchi which is a family favourite so I was expecting a lot of constructive criticism, however to my surprise I did not receive much as they all loved the dish! It was my first time making it and I will defiantly do it again as it was much quicker than I thought it would be.

My second recommendation for inspiration would be the @originalflava instagram and cookbook. I have been following them for a while and have tried out a few of their recipes before, however I have had time to try a few of the more advance dishes and loved every one of them. They recently share a plantain and black bean burger recipe which I will be making next week.
While writing this I am wishing I took photographs of everything I have made! So I will share a few photos next week on our Instagram story.

My third and final recommendation has been one that I maybe should have avoided because now my sweet tooth is in full effect. I have been trying out a number of new Greek desert recipes from the amazing cookbook Traditional Greek Cooking from Cyprus and Beyond . This book is old but gold and honestly so easy to follow. It can be purchased on Amazon however there may not be many available. If you cannot get hold of one and there is a dish you would like to try out leave a comment below with your email address and the name of the dish and I would be happy to share the recipe with you.

A super short and sweet blog today as I hope you will all be promptly following the above pages and buying the books to get started.
If you do try out any recipes from the above recommendations please share your photos and tag us.
We can never see enough food photos!

Stay safe everyone!

S x

Staying Well. Staying At Home.

It is the topic on everyone’s minds at the moment and it looks like it will be for the next few weeks... So in light of this we thought we would help where we can and share some tips on how to stay well, whilst staying at home!

So to begin, experts have suggested trying to follow a schedule similar to the one you used to before. As obvious as this one may seem, get up, get showered, and get changed. It’s so tempting to lay in, and stay in those PJ’s all day, but making sure you try and mimic your normal routine will help you stay feeling productive!

Eat regular and eat healthy! Supermarkets might not have every single product that we might normally buy, but we need to work with it! When you can buy some healthy food to snack on. Making sure your reaching for these rather than fast food really helps to keep you in a positive cycle and feeling good! At times like this, keeping your food and exercise in check will really help keep your mood positive and focused. We also have so much more free time, so it’s a perfect opportunity to be making fresh meals.

Try to exercise! Whether it is in your garden or kitchen a small space is all you need. There are tonnes of workouts that are going on at the moment on all socials. On Instagram I’m loving @ciaralondons body workouts and @saeid_rm_ ab blast. @mike_fitness_ also offers online training and _mrgainz is also offering instagram live workouts. Have a look around and find what suits you best. There’s such a range we really are spoilt for choice. Find one that you enjoy and it will serve as a distraction and help to boost your endorphins.

Catch up with friends and family. We’re in such a lucky position that we have our friends and family at a touch of a button. Video call them, phone them or even make a group call. Engaging with people that aren’t at home with you really makes a difference and makes you feel more connected. Apps like zoom have become incredibly popular and handy for large group calls and conference calls.

And lastly, try to switch off. Being at home constantly makes it so easy to fall into the habit of becoming GLUED to your phone. It really does become the ‘checking the socials cycle’. Especially for those working from home it can be such a strain being on your laptop all day and then going to your phone. So try to put it all down and grab a book, go for your walk of the day or try something else creative like baking. We have a lot more free time now than we normally would so let’s make the most of it!

If anyone has an event coming up that they haven’t used an event planner for, and are overwhelmed or uncertain by the current situation please email us at events@serenitylondon.co.uk , we are working with individuals and couples to reschedule their events.

Stay home, and stay well!

E x