Why doing things alone is important...

Time alone is such a luxury these days, the modern world functions at such a dizzyingly fast pace and our minds are bombarded with an overload of information from morning until night. I think that doing things alone is so important, not only to switch off from the world but also in order to get to know ourselves better. I think it is vital to spend time in your own company, yet for so many of us this something which we do not always prioritise. As a writer, I probably spend too much time on my own but I still relish the confidence I have now to walk in to a restaurant or a bar alone, something which only a few years ago I would have found too daunting to even contemplate. Dining alone is now a regular occurrence for me due to my work as a food writer, but I still remember the first time I went to review a restaurant on my own and how alien it felt to sit there and eat a meal without a companion.

I am not sure why being alone or being a loner has such a negative connotation, in my opinion spending time alone is how we get to know ourselves as people and I have become increasingly independent as the years go by, choosing to spend my free time only with people who I feel enrich my life in some way. Time is precious, so why waste it after all. When I was younger, I worried about whether people liked me or whether they understood me. In other words, I was a walking mass of insecurity still very much in the duckling phase while patiently waiting to become a swan. Now, I don’t waste time obsessing over whether people like or understand me, life is frankly too short. There is a reason for the expression to ‘spend time’, after all time is a precious resource so we should choose to spend it wisely. It is funny how we grow and evolve as people as we get older and I have much more confidence now than I did in my 20’s. I love going out to eat on my own, in fact as I write this I am sitting in one of my favourite places to dine solo, Brasco Lounge in Liverpool which is a lovely spot for brunch, lunch or dinner. The quirky cool interior includes details of brightly coloured furniture, a mix of vintage and industrial style light fixtures, polished wooden floors and walls lined with an eclectic mixture of art and mirrors. I collect my thoughts and find inspiration for the working day when I go out for breakfast on my own, it is that time of day when the hours ahead stretch out like a blank canvas full of promise and possibility. Although it sounds like a cliché, anything really is possible and I never thought I would be sitting here having just been on two work trips to Prague and Kenya, trips which have changed me forever because I had such incredible experiences.

Anyway, suffice to say I have really enjoyed my breakfast date with myself today and now I am full of delicious fuel for the day ahead. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day and this is without doubt one of those places which gets it right every time. I had the veggie breakfast at Brasco Lounge, homemade veggie sausages, hash browns, baked beans, spinach, wood roasted pepper, fried egg and toast. The breakfast usually comes with slow-roasted tomato and sautéed mushrooms too, but I left those out.

The portion size was generous and everything was perfectly cooked and well-presented. The good food, reasonable prices and friendly service keep me coming back here for more. Full marks too, for a place which has a vegetarian full English style breakfast on the menu, something I love to see.

There is a great range of brunch options, sandwiches, salads, burgers, tapas and main courses on the menu as well as a children’s menu and I highly recommend paying it a visit when you are in Liverpool.

Brasco Lounge 

27a Mann Island Buildings, 

Liverpool Waterfront

L3 1BP

http://thelounges.co.uk/lounges/brasco-lounge/ 

What do you all think, do you like doing things alone and do you like dining out alone? As always I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and thank you so much for reading this post. 

Until next time,

Camille 

xo