This week in food and fashion...

Been a busy but productive week back at work, summer holidays are just around the corner so deadlines are comming up quick.... but that nothing new. However that does not stop me from cooking up some delights in the kitchen and raiding the wardrobe!

There was not much in the fridge the other night apart from some Onions, Mushrooms and some left over pastry. Seemed bleak at first but in the end it all came together into a rather nice dish.....

Caramelized sweet red Onion tart with mushrooms in a cheese source.

Popped out in the week to get some shopping and stumbled upon a tin of HEINZ Baked Beans! Not often seem in these parts of DK, so I grab a can an plotted what sort of amazing dish we could cook up.

Baked Beans, otherwise know as "Chav-iar" back in the UK.

We decided to save the Beans for our (much needed) Saturday night in and whip up an English classic of the highest level!!

BAKED BEANS ON JACKET POTATO WITH CHEESE!!!

It was sooooo good, I admit its not the most classy meal but it is a real taste of home. It's strange the things that you miss from your home, but we have had our 'UK food fix' now and that should keep us going for a little while.

As well as it being a food week it has also been a bit of a fashion week, I have taken to planning out my outfits for the week on a Sunday night. Most days I just throw on whatever I have time to iron but I have decided to 'step it up' a little. No particular reason and I don't know how long this will last but its been fun so far. Here a little selection of what made it into work this week...

Rocked it old school with the braces and a plain white T-shirt on Wednesday. It a strong look and I think I will wear the braces more often.

As for 'Smart Friday' at work, I threw together the timeless combo of a White shirt and a black tie. Can't beat the classics.

Itchy fingers, chicken pie, boxing and the rapture...

My oh my!, what a weekend this has been.

We had a long weekend here in DK as Friday was 'big prayer day', sadly Fee had to pop into work so I made use of the the quite time here to tidy up the flat and cook up a storm in the kitchen.

Dinner that night was home made chicken & sweet corn pie with garlic roasted wedges.

So nice, will have to do this again.

As well as a tasty dinner I was once again called upon to whip up a Cheesecake, this time I did the full size version of the Oreo cookie cake I did the other week. We had been invited over to Christine's for dinner and we were in charge of bringing desert.

Mmmmm more Cheesecake.... this one was mighty good and I ate far too much of it.

I was worried we may not get to eat it seeing as 'The Rapture' was meant to be hitting this Saturday. However I figured all the best Metal bands would be in Hell anyway so I would be OK if things did happen. \m/

As I waited for Fee & the rapture I had a little drink.

"Cheers!"

My fingers are rather itchy now, I have to be careful not to scratch at them.

The Tattoo on my arm is healing well and I promise to get a pic up soon.

So it seemed the end of the world had been put off for a while and we decided it was safe to go out and see Christine. We were not the only guests for dinner that night as Sven; Lizze and little Amelie were also on the guest list.

"Look Amelie, his going to Hell when the rapture comes."

"You is going to helllll"

We even had a little visiter from next door in the form of a cute little French Bull-dog puppy. The little thing got so excited it peed a little, cute but messy. It also turns out Amelie likes animals.... but only from a safe distance while in somebody's arms.

Both parties safely separated.... for now!

We had a great night with yummy food and lots of Cheese cake and great friends, but the main event was the boxing match beetween my cousin George Groves and his bitter rival James Degale.

'St George Groves'

I'm glad I was nice to him when he was a little boy.

Degale was cocky, rude and smug all though out the lead up to this fight. George kept his cool and came out the bigger man for it.

However, no amount of smugness saved Degale from losing to George (for the SECOND time I might add) on points. George used his head and out boxed Degale who was thrown off his game. It was a tough fight indeed and me & Fee almost passed out a few times, I also think we gave the people next door a heart attack when George won because we screamed SOOOO LOUD!!!

Bruised, bloody but over the moon.

Well done mate, we are all VERY proud of you.

Our day in Malmo...

As well as getting tattooed in Copenhagen last weekend we took the opportunity to see our buddies Ines and Gustaf who live in Malmo. Fee got the train up to Sweden in the morning and I went off to get Tattooed. Once I was done I hopped on a train and went to meet the gang for Dinner.

We went to a great place called 'BASTARD' (I kid you not) and it was very good indeed! Me and Ines had the Cod and it was super tasty.

All the kitchen staff were tattooed and they even played some White Zombie over the stereo!

I felt very at home.

I was pretty tired and sore after my day of Tattooing, so it was not a late night. We headed back to their place where I freshened up and promptly passed out. The next morning we had some Crumpets (which Fee found in the English shop in Malmo) with Jam and went out for a nice walk and a Drive.

We drove down to see how Denmark looked from the Swedish point of view.

MIND THE GAP INES!!!

"We have one bridge that connects Denmark & Sweden..... and thats plenty!"

-Gustaf-

Gustaf turning his back on Denmark in dramatic fashion.

I got totally busted being a Paparazzi by Ines.

"What is that you are doing Nik?"

We drove out of town and Gustaf showed us where he went to school and where his parents live and all that site seeing made us hungry. We went to get some smoked fish for a Swedish picnic! It tasted GREAT and was all washed down with pressed Apple juice.

Gustaf's face seems to say

"this woman is sure ordering a lot of fish"

I want a Fish diploma!

After our picnic we drove down to the Beach to take in some sea air, the Beach was very pretty and we all agreed that we should all come back when the weather is good. Roll on summer!

We walked along the pier to get a good look and the very clear and crisp water.

Apparently local people paid for the pier 'plank by plank' and if you did you got your name on said plank. We had a good time laughing at some of the funny names and deciding what silly name we would have on our planks.

We had a great time with our friends eating in funny named restaurants, going on day trips, having smoked fish picnics and walking in the sun.

Thanks sooooo much guys, cant wait to see you again soon!

"ORDO AB CHAO"

What a weekend!

We had a great but draining few days in Copenhagen and Sweden and there are lots of great pics to show and stories to tell but I'm far too drained to blog fully tonight. Not been home very long, I'm sore and tired but I wanted to show you this...

-Order-

-From-

-Chaos-

It's Latin and it translates to Order from Chaos or Order out of Chaos. Hitting 30 this year felt like a real turning point in my life. I have a great job*, an amazing wife an amazing family and I'm blessed to have great friends. It all felt very... grow up. I've always loved tattoos and felt I needed to mark this 'event' in some way.

Being a designer who's work tools are his hands I felt this phrase carried a lot of wait for me. In my work I take a big messy and chaotic pile of bricks or ideas and turn them into something with order and logic. For me building LEGO sets and designing is all about problem solving, taking something that does not work or make sense and creating something better that people can use and understand. So having this on my hands seemed to make so much sense, and if I was going to take this big a step I really wanted it to MEAN something special to me.

Judd Ripley did an awesome job of keeping the lines solid and not 'blowing' any of the line out. Fingers are VERY tricky which is why Judd was the only guy I trusted to pull this off.

As well as the hands I did have a large piece done on the back of my right arm, however it's rather swollen and bruised..... plus its hard to get a shot of the back of your own arm! So I'll leave you with this little teaser until it heals up a bit.

Hmmmmm what could it be?

*Ok kids, I am very lucky to have a career where having tattoos like this does not get me fired. I studied and worked hard to get myself into a line of work that I love and that affords me the freedom to live doing the things I love. Granted, the art & design industry is a little more 'free' than most lines of work but please think hard before doing something like this as not all employers will be as open. Thanks.

She's here!

Came into work today to find a nice little pile of box's on my desk, i knew right away what it was. It took all my strength not to just scoop them up in my arms and run home with them, but I was strong and waited until I got home to open them.

This was what greeted me on my arrival to work, but what was in them you ask?

My new iPad 2, Leather cover/stand and Camera adapters.

Mmmmm fresh out of the box.

Even had it etched so people know what's what!

Yes, sync my pretty.

There is a little bit of setting up to do, but its not that bad.

Well there she is!

So far I am loving it, great little machine with bags of potential. Glad I waited for the second generation, it's lighter, thinner and has duel facing cameras. Ever the leather cover with its magnetic clasps is so well designed. LUSH!

You jealous?

Not one but TWO cheese cakes!

I have a pack of OREO cookies, I know! I'll make a cheese cake with them.

Have to separate the filling and the biscuit first.

Hmmmm, why not made two different types of Cheese Cake! Seems rude not too.

One bowl of Vanilla and one bowl of OREO.

HURRY UP AND COOK!

Just on the counter, chillin' out.

Vanilla with a biscuit base and a creamy cherry jam topping.

OREO base and filling with a chocolate swirl on top.

My next post will be direct from the gym where I will be burning off the 1000,000 calories i'm about to eat......... or more

likely

i'll blog from the Liposuction clinic.

-Posted while on the move

"We've got the funk..."

Somehow I have become a teacher...... OF ROCK!

My buddy Adrian (or The Romanian Hipster as I call him) has been interested in learning Bass guitar for a while now and has managed to borrow one from a friend. So I have agreed to pass on my years of knowledge on the subject of Bass Guitar. We started off easy with some scales and simple rhythms, and he seems to be picking it up fast. So we are going to try and keep this up with a weekly session. :)

He may look about 12 but he is in fact in his 20's.

As a treat for all of his hard work I made some Pizza, his fingers were a little sore from all the playing but he still managed to pick up a slice or two.

Rectangle Pizza?! What the hell!?

Hurry up and get here Saturday 14th!

12 day until they get a make over.