Become a Sushi Master with YO! Sushi

Last week I was cordially invited to join Abby and Jane at a YO! Sushi Plymouth to become a Sushi Master. Sushi is something I've always wanted to try and make but shied away because it looked so fiddly. I do like to experiment with cooking but there's nothing worse than dropping serious ££ on ingredients to only get frustrated, dump it all in the bin and order a takeaway anyway. I was looking forward to being taught the ropes by a professional.



Our tutor for the evening, Mazz, was incredibly thorough, informative and hilarious to boot. He talked us through all the different cuts of a side of salmon and which muscle groups made which dish on the Yo!Sushi menu - and then we dutifully tried every piece to try and tell the difference. Next up was our turn - to create cucumber maki - which consisted of a demonstration by Mazz and then it was our turn to don the rather fetching hats and get behind the counter. Mine was nowhere near perfect, Abby took the crown of most precise cutting technique ever ("pixel perfect!") but I was pleasantly surprised that it didn't completely fall apart to a lump of mush!



The rest of the evening consisted of live demonstration and tasting sessions, with Mazz working through a wide range of the YO! Sushi menu and even dropping in some insider gossip about the YO! Sushi brand. As a regular frequenter, I found the whole thing absolutely fascinating and couldn't wait to get home and try out some of the recipes myself. Gareth and I made cucumber and crab maki and avocado hand rolls the following Saturday evening over a bottle of wine - it was so lovely to do something different and together.

I'd really recommend attending a YO! Sushi masterclass - it'd make an awesome date, evening with a friend or even on your own as a chance to meet some new people. At £30 a head (or £50 for two), you leave completely stuffed and with a full bentobox and a goodiebag, too. In my opinion it was the perfect level of participation - and then getting to kick back and basically have your own personal sushi chef for a few hours was a real treat.

Big thanks to Jane and YO! Sushi Plymouth for the invite - check out the other attendee's reviews here, here, here and here.

40 Things You Didn't Know About Me

1. I spent the best part on my teenage years utterly obsessed with My Chemical Romance - I had diaries and diaries full of lyrics and drawings and still have this collage from when I met the band...
2. I am a Grade 5 at the flute, yet I was always so terrified to play in front of anyone but my tutor. I used to make my parents sit in the next room to listen to me play!
3. I'd choose a cheese plate over dessert, every single time.
4. I studied Photographic Art at university. I wanted to change to Fashion halfway through but was too scared to let my parents down after spending so long convincing them to not disown me for wanting to go to uni to study photography.
5. My favourite movie is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. Closely followed by Garden State. Katy Perry’s movie is up there, too…
6. …And ‘Movies’ by Alien Ant Farm is one of my all time favourite songs. Not even ashamed!
7. I've not seen so many 'classic' films.... I only watched Forest Gump and Home Alone for the first time this Christmas! Back to the Future, Star Wars, Pulp Fiction, Thelma & Louise, Four Weddings…nope!
8. I has double jointed little fingers.
9. I'm not really sure what my natural hair colour is as I've been dying it weird colours for 10 years now. At a guess - mousey browny blonde BLEURGH.
10. I have a weird obsession with Ugly Dolls, they're all over my house. they make such comfy pillows!
11. I always sit with a cushion on my lap, it’s a comfort thing.
12. My guilty pleasure is really bad 'reality' TV. KUWTK, TOWIE, CDWM etc



13. If I sit and think about it for too long, the concept of time and our perception of it really freaks me out. Like, heart palpitations freaks me out.
14. I own a convertible Renault Megane that I inexplicably called Mildred...
15. Gareth and I bicker most about how many sets of pyjamas I own. It’s a bit of a problem.
16. My parents live in France. The regular supply of cheap wine is a definite perk.
17. I've never been on a 'girls' holiday...
18. ... Or to a proper festival.
19. I hate scary movies! I used to love them but now I get terrified way too easily.
20. I’d say I was a pretty good cook. My specialities are thai noodle soup, vietnamese spring rolls and moussaka (unless you’re Becky and Pete reading this, ignore that time it took me 5 hours to make it and we didn’t eat til 10pm...) 
21. Dried toothpaste on the tube makes me feel nauseous.
22. I’m 5’10” with size 9 feet. I regularly try and squeeze them into an 8!
23. I took part in public speaking competitions in school. Nerd alert!
24. I shirked regular exercise for 24 years of my life. Now I couldn’t imagine life without it!
25. I used to do things like organise the kitchen cupboards and label the shelves because my family were messy and it would wind me up. Ha, sorry mum!
26. I go through complete phases with clothes - at the moment I am buying every maxi skirt in sight. In 6 months I’ll probably hate them. #firstworldproblems



27. I despise being tickled. It really makes me freak out.
28. I sucked my thumb up until about age 11…sometimes it sneaks in if things are really, REALLY bad.
29. I have cataracts in both eyes, despite only being 26.
30. If you need something organising, I am your girl…and yet Gareth is the world’s WORST planner. Hey, opposite’s attract!
31. I really hate it when people who don’t know me call me Soph! If I haven’t introduced myself as that to you, why do you think it’s ok to call me that?!
32. I don’t really like the sun…I hate being too hot and sunbathing to me is the worst thing!
33. I find it really hard to sleep without having a TV or something else to focus on - my brain just goes into overdrive! I’d like to get back to reading before I sleep but the lure of my phone is too great…oops
34. I bloody love a good wedding.
35. My biggest bug bearer is people not saying thank you - manners please!
36. I passed my driving test first time!….when I was 26…. so that’s just a few weeks ago… I just took my time getting around to doing it, ok?!
37. Despite having lilac hair, and Crown and Glory’s branding being all purple e’rything, I’d say that purple is probably one of my least favourite colours.
38. I am completely on the fence about whether or not I want children. Watch this space, I guess!
39. One of my favourite things to do is to surprise my friends with post. It just makes me so happy to let them know they’re being thought of, out of the blue!
40. I love nothing more than playing host - Gareth and I plan gastronomic feasts whenever people come to stay!

Photos by Emma Case

Sunday Kind of Love - 17/11

This week has been full of surprises and mini-triumphs! I was almost brought to tears earlier in the week when I put something out into the world and was so overwhelmed by the support that came back. I'm not the sort of person that often shares a moment of misfortune, or asks for help from friends and family - publicly admitting that things aren't always full of sparkles and glitter simply isn't my style! - so perhaps that's why the response was so momentous. Perhaps I need to have more faith that people actually do care. More likely, though, is that generally, people don't like to see hardworking, honest people be ripped off - and this week has proven that, while I'd fight to the bitter end for the things I hold dear, I don't have to do it alone.

Also, after a few weeks without driving due to car malfunctions, I jumped straight back into it this week and have seriously surprised myself by how much my confidence in my abilities has grown! Other things I'm loving this week;

Singing top of our lungs to 'Fast in My Car'... My first driving song, exciting!

Coming leaps and bounds with our Christmas pieces, thanks to Gareth coming in on the design process we now have a full-blown collection that we are shooting the lookbook for this week! Keep your eyes peeled.

Knowing intellectual property lawyers is all kinds of awesome.

Jaymie is organising a craft fair, with all proceeds being donated to helping people affected by the typhoon in the Phillipines. Be sure to pop down for donated goodies from some of our favourite independent brands!

 

 

Sunday Kind of Love; 27/10

Well this weekend has certainly been more chilled than the last! With Gareth away at a friends' stag do I've been left to get stuck into our Christmas wholesale orders that are coming in thick and fast and batten down the hatches for the impending storm. Do anyone else's cats get visibly grumpy with them when the weather is horrid outside? I'm looking forward to an evening curled up in front of the box watching trash TV. Other things I've been loving this week;

• The biannual wardrobe switch around is always an arduous task, but it certainly feels good to have it done, despite being entirely ashamed about how many clothes I own, as per usual. On the plus side, I uncovered pieces for A/W that is forgotten I have - free shopping!
• Making headway with our plans for the festive season this year. We've got a whole bunch of new products to launch, from goodie bags to bespoke gift cards and in super excited to show you all. Is there something you'd like to see for the Christmas period? Join in the conversation on our Facebook page!
• Ben and Jerry's Blondie Brownie. Salted caramel core, people. Salted caramel core!
• Finding my perfect winter coat for just £32!
• Sausage and mash weather. Yum.
• Practising a kundalini yoga technique, Breath of Fire, to quell anxiety. It sure does work!
• Reading the sad, heart wrenching story of Joyce Carol Vincent brought an ache to my heart and a tear to my eye. I'm grateful for reading it though, because it made me reach out to a couple of friends I hadn't spoken to in a while, just to say hey.

 

 

Sunday Kind of Love 23/10

Yes, Sunday post on a Wednesday, but I'm sure you'll forgive my tardiness because this past weekend was spent having way too much fun at the One Love Wedding Show! We holed ourselves up for the weekend at the Hospital Club, Covent Garden, with a whole host of other like minded wedding vendors. We met so many brilliant babes, quaffed gin in a tin like the classy birds we're not, and made far too many trips to the LookLook photobooth. Kat, Gareth and I were in attendance to promote our collection and previewed the brand new drop. We also designed an exclusive Shauna Rainbow headband especially for the event which went down a storm! Obviously after a weekend of working it would've been rude not to let off some steam, so along with Craig and Ronnie, ran around Central London on Sunday night causing a whole bunch of chaos and laughing til we cried. Other things I've been loving this week:

- a spontaneous and unexpected gift from a friend, especially one intended to help me grow
- promoting good karma and paying it forward with a pledge to Veronica's dream; I'm going to do more of this, it feels so good!
- Gala Darling's Dare/Dream/Do had us in a horrible-music-athon Sunday night to try and find the fear
- still obsessed with OPI Gelcolour. Back to black this week.
- A Little Bit of Competition Never Hurt Anybody rung very true this week.
- LOVING the transition to cool, crisp weather. I spent a particularly lovely morning this week lying in a cosy, warm bed, with the weight of my world of my shoudlers after completing a particularly long to do list, listening to the rain drum on the window. Pure bliss.
- realising friendship shouldn't be a chore, or bring you down. cathartic.

Sunday Kind of Love - 06/10

'It Always Seems Impossible Until It Is Done' by TheLoveShop on Etsy

This week we've been sorting out the office and adjacent box room from the explosion of glitter and bunny ears that happened this summer into a more useable workspace for both of us; we even have a store room now! I get my airing cupboard back! I must admit when Gareth started pulling everything out it felt like we were never going to have a useable office again - the 'worse before it gets better' stage was a long old one! While it's nowhere near finished as we'd like to add in some more desk space and switch up our current hideous plastic storage, I now enjoy being back in the office and it's been so freeing to have a clear out. Other things I've been loving this week;

• Gareth's endless patience with me when he discovered I'd left all the computer/hard drive/printer and camera cables to knot into a gigantic electrical ball behind the desk. With little huffing and only the occasional expletive thrown my way he proceeded to painstakingly untangle them for me; that's love for you, right?!
• We had such fun hanging out and modeling at Photography Farm last week for Kat and Gareth's second marriage! Anyone else thing we look like a pretty rad band in this shot?!
• This weeks' Its Business Baby post got a lot of love, being linked at Rock n Roll Bride, Bespoke Bride and Fishee Designs. I love writing the business series - it's pretty cathartic and it makes me so happy to think that they potentially help other people.
• Getting back into my exercise routine in a big way - if I have a few weeks off it's always really daunting getting back into it but I'm always surprised by how quickly my body adapts; also loving the new Bodycombat routine!
• Dressing up a red wine hangover with a sequin maxi skirt - the best cure!
• My mum got taken ill while out this weekend which was horrible, but the kindness of strangers was very overwhelming. If you're reading this, man with the Dacshund; thankyou to eternity for looking after my momma and making sure she felt safe.
• Did you see the Halloween collection go up this week? My personal favourite is the little glitter devil horns; one of Gareth's designs!

 

Sunday Kind of Love - 29/09

'Love is all Rainbows and Unicorns' by Veronica Dearly

It's been one of those rare weeks when play outbalances work and boy, it was a welcome break. Last weekend was spent celebrating the marriage of my dear friend Megan to her sweetheart Grant, in the epitome of a Cornish Fairytale - be sure to check out the Instagram hashtag for a sneak peek into all the pretty! After catching up on orders on Monday, we set off for a couple of days at Photography Farm - for a day to play models and a day of relaxation. Utter bliss. Here are the things I've been loving this week;

• I just love a wedding! All the happiness and joy in the air is certainly contagious.
• Not to mention, the wedding breakfast, especially a Cornish wedding breakfast - crab and lobster and crayfish, oh my!
• Sleeping in multiple comfy beds. Downside - now I'm home I need a new mattress.
• Suzy started a new blog series inspired by our very own It's Business Baby - so humbling! Be sure to check out her post on the long hours of the self employed
• Chilling out in a jacuzzi, sleeping under the same roof Freddie Mercury once did, being cooked for and wine, all of the wine - Photography Farm is magical
• Shooting new additions to the Rock n Roll Bride collection - check out a sneak peek on Instagram
• Picking up the best skirt ever - £25. Sizing down - priceless.
• Friday night gossips and a very regular weekend off; sometimes it's nice to be 'normal' for once.
• Surprise post - good to know whenever anyone sees anything with a unicorn on, they think of me! It's lovely to be thought of once in a while - definitely something I'm going to embrace myself.

 

Sunday Kind of Love - 15/09

'Shauna Niequist' by Rocketrictic via Pinterest

This week it was Gareth's birthday! Queue the poor boy being forced into a pair of bunny ears for photo ops, getting control over the office TV for the day (Top Gear, if you we're wondering) and indulging in fish and chips by the sea. Weather permitting, I treated him to a paddle boarding lesson for the two of us today as a birthday treat - that should prove fully hilarious! This week I've been loving;

• Having the confidence to be assertive and learn that saying 'game over' isn't failing or admitting defeat - it's incredibly powerful to know when something is no longer of your interest.
• Feeling confident behind the wheel - I'm still in car-park mode, but by gum why did I put off driving for so long?!
• Saying 'thankyou!' outloud every time a new order pops up on my phone. I was chatting to Gala last week about how sweet and humbling the Paypal app sounds every time you know it's someone placing an order with you, and she told me she mentally thanks every customer by name when she gets the notification through, and it's something I've applied this week and it feels just lovely!
• Friday 13th movie night - Mama was utterly, goosebump-making, trashily terrifying. Just what the doctor ordered!
• Getting some creative juice flowing! The autumn drop at Crown and Glory should be up next week, exciting!
• Being interviewed by The Blogcademy headmistresses - you can read about my journey this year, here.
• Homemade chicken soup cures all ills.

 

Sunday Kind of Love 08/09

What Would You Do If You Weren't Afraid? by Anne Garrison Studio via Etsy

This week I've had the pleasure of assisting at The Blogcademy. If you've seen this post you'll know that I attended the event in January as a Blogcadette and it was definitely the best business money be ever spent. Getting the opportunity to attend again, and be a teeny tiny part of it has been a huge honour and I've had so much fun! There's something so inspiring about just being in the same room as a bunch of like-minded gals; hanging out with 'my people' is about to get me out of a funk!

This week I've been grateful for;

• Inspiring quotes - "You're the average if the 5 people you spend the most time with, so make sure they're ace"
• Embankment at night is just my favourite place on earth.
• Being able to hang out with amazing babes, wear sparkly ears and call it work; truly blessed!
• Meeting the wonderful LouLou Androlia and fangirling 'cause she used to run an amazing accessories and lingerie store called Lou Lou Loves You that I just loved!
• Itsu, please come to Cornwall, I'll be your biggest customer.
• This cat on a mop vine has made my laugh so so much.
• Gala Darling's Radical Self Love Letters ends for me today and I'm so sad! It's been the best $20 I've spent this month. So much good info to apply to my every day life,