This is the 4th time that I've been to the Real Food Festival (read my 2010 round up here). The festival is built around the idea of bringing great tasting, sustainably and ethically produced food to as many people as possible.


I've been to so many food festivals in last five years that I thought I'd give my top ten tips for those wanting to make/eat the most of their day.

1. Look at the list of stalls before you go (if available). Get an idea of which ones are on your "must hit" list
2. I always find it best to arrive shortly after the festival opens. It's less busy and easier to look at stalls and chat to the people running them
3. Set a budget for buying food (I always try but end up blowing the budget!)
5. If you have a "favorite" like me, cake/desserts, don't fill up on bread, cracker and chutney samples (as tempting as they are) they are super filling
6. Check out the demonstration timetable when you arrive if you want to watch any
7. Bring a bag to carry your purchases and bring a Tupperware container for lose purchases that you don't want squished
8. Bring cash as most stalls won't be equipped to take cards
9. Bring water (you'll need it after all those samples)
10. For festivals that have restaurant tokens, look at the menus on line before you head out so you don't end up with and odd amount of tokens left over that can't buy anything

Some photos of what I ate and purchased

Bubble Tea is officially* the "it" thing this summer in London! Not one, but two dedicated bubble tea outlets have opened in the last two months. I started thinking about bubble tea when Ute went to Boba Jam back in January (there are also plenty of places in Chinatown that serve it and I've also had it in Ping Pong before) and a few weeks ago my interest was renewed when I found Bubbleology on twitter.

Bubbe tea was originated in Taiwan in the 1980's where it's as popular as soda in North America. I read somewhere that there are 8,000 bubble tea cafes in Taiwan! I used to live in Seattle and it's a common to find it there too.

Chaboba is in Camden Lock Market and opened two months ago. I am in love with this place. I was wandering around the market for about 40 minutes trying to find it but the crush bubble tea I had in the end was well worth it.

I ordered a mango crush bubble tea (a cross between a slushee and a smoothie) with the "bobas" or pearls at the bottom. I chose to have the strawberry "popping" bobbas on top (for an extra 50p). They are so awesome. They're made from natural seaweed extract and are filled with fruit juice. I think the popping bobas give Chaboba a bit of an edge over the competition. I am already hooked and will be back.




The fun part about Bubbleology is their "Cruffins"! English muffins or crumpets with your choice of topping. I of course had a crumpet with cream cheese and m&m's. I'll be back for another Cruffin.

*By officially I mean I made it up

In a week of big announcements and bold plans to tackle climate change, the city of London has thrown its hat into the ring. Today, Mayor Ken Livingstone unveiled a detailed plan to slash carbon emissions by 60% within 20 years and place the city at the forefront of the battle against climate change.

In introducing the plan, Livingstone said "All of us have a responsibility, actions taken at an individual level can have consequences that are unacceptable for society as a whole. Buying a gas-guzzling 4x4 vehicle is an 'individual choice' but it creates carbon emissions that contribute to global warming and harm everyone. It should be no more socially acceptable than to claim the right to dump rubbish in the street."

Specifics of the plan address domestic and commercial space, transportation and energy supply.

Domestic

• Up to 50% subsidies on insulation - free for homes on benefits - to target the 1.4m houses without proper insulation
• A "concierge service" costing £50 to £200 including an audit of a household and full management of the conversion to a greener lifestyle
• Green homes scheme to build on work of groups like the Energy Saving Trust

Commercial

• Promotion of projects to encourage energy efficiency and minimise waste; recognition of firms doing the most

Transport

• "Green consultants" to encourage cycling and use of public transport
• Promotion of fuel-efficient cars

Energy supply

• Encouragement of combined heat and power schemes for schools, hospitals and housing developments. London wants to generate a quarter of its electricity this way by 2025

The announcement represents a part of a larger movement among municipalities in the UK, as close to 200 local governments have now signed the Nottingham Declaration - a pledge to take action against global warming.