[Ad- gifted experience] We go to quite a few video games events throughout the year, and Dann and I have gone to Hyper Japan in the past, but this year the dates lined up so we figured we would take the entire family along. Hyper Japan is the UK’s largest Japanese culture event. As we’ve got kids with sushi packed lunches and a big love of cutesy things, it just felt like they’d enjoy it.
Dann and I often try to get along to a lavender field, with Hitchin Lavender Field being one of our favorites, but we wanted to check out a new one this year. The Secret Lavender Garden at Mayfield had a lovely Golden Hour ticket and as we’ve been quite busy during the day, Dann and I wanted to make an evening out of it.
One evening, we didn’t have much going on, so Dann took me out to Chicos in Leyton. The week before, we went to Dave’s Hot Chicken with a friend of ours, where I was sure they had these Nashville mozzarella sticks that I have always wanted to try. In England, however, they do not have them on the menu. I had been craving them since, so Dann started looking up how to find them, and Chicos appeared! Chicos is a sort of Instagramable place to eat, with a lot of casual food like loaded fries, mozzarella sticks, and sandwiches. We went one evening right afterwards.
Nashville Hot Mozzarella Sticks and Buffalo Chicken Tenders
Of course, they had the Nashville Hot Mozzarella Sticks, which are massive rectangles of mozzarella, coated and deep-fried. Then, they put this spicy powder on it. It’s just such a spicy, delicious thing! The Nashville Hot Mozzarella came with a ranch, which felt very American, and tasted good too. I liked these a lot and it really fit my craving. I do feel they could have used more of the chili oil that they are meant to have on them, as they were dry, but it was fine. Whenever Dann and I see buffalo chicken on the menu, we have to try it. The buffalo chicken tenders at Chicos were very good. I am extremely picky with buffalo sauce and this buffalo sauce was so good we ordered a second plate of chicken tenders. It was just so good.
Dann and I love trying new food and food festivals. A work friend of mine, from a job we both freelance at, has been talking for over a year now about how both her and myself need to try oysters. This has become a bit of a thing, but as we don’t live near each other, we just haven’t sorted out the time. Until she started talking about Taste of Eataly, which allows you to try a bunch of different food, including oysters.
[Ad- gifted experience]Â Another year, another MCM Comic Con London! It feels like each time this comes around, at least one kid is out of school. We’ve had a day of just Kai, a day of Kai and Amelia, and this year we got a day of just Robin and a day of just Kai! On the Friday at MCM Comic Con London 2026, we took just Robin as she was the one without school that day. Kai had also asked to attend, so we decided to take him on the Sunday, as Dann and I always tend to go two days to get everything done.