Virgo Birthday Gifts

Join expert foragers on a 3-hour walk exploring London's edible plant life and learn about their different uses... WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? Greater London has a microclimate. There is an enormous and diverse range of edible and medicinal plants on our doorstep. As well as the wild indigenous plants, there are a whole range of edibles introduced by Victorian park planners, modern councils and even domestic gardeners.This walk covers a lot of bases. Learn about the edible and historical use of plants and mushrooms (when in season). Get to grips with herbal medicine - aspirin was originally derived from the willow tree and of course there’s cookery. You will learn the ‘all things in moderation’ rule. This is both to preserve you and nature.  It’s not about pulling anything and everything that looks green up by the roots. Your Expert Guides: John Rensten is the founder of Forage London, author of "The Edible City: A Year of Wild Food," and co-founder of The Association of Foragers. After living and foraging in London for 20 years, he moved to Dorset in 2016 to focus on mushroom hunting and coastal foraging, but still runs urban foraging events and wild food walks through his network of highly experienced Foragers. His passion for wild food began while running a gastro pub, where he incorporated foraged ingredients like wild mushrooms, plants, and seaweeds into the menu. Join them exploring Hampstead, Burgess Park or Peckham Rye Park. Locations are variable according to the seasons. The walk lasts 3 hours and the maximum in each group is 16. This walk is always popular so get in quick.There is nothing more satisfying than learning how to walk on the wild side. THE ALL IMPORTANT DETAILS Numerous locations such as Hampstead Heath, Burgess Park, Crystal Palace Park, Alexandra Park & Tower Hamlet Cemetery Park Events run on selected Saturdays - at least twice a month Max group Size - 16 HOW DOES IT WORK? All you have to do is pay for the gift experience you wish to purchase. We’ll send a voucher including booking information to you or directly to the recipient. You or your recipient needs to check the information on the voucher and book your experience date.

Explore the beauty of Stanmer nature reserve, learn from a foraging pro and enjoy a delicious foraged lunch...   WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? Really wild food…. This is a walk with purpose. Fungi, fruit, wild plants, nature is growing your lunch without you even realising - except now you will. After this walk you will be attuned to the free food that is all around.This is a proper walk, with an excellent talk as you absorb the beauty of Stanmer nature reserve in Brighton. It is the city’s largest park, and a unique example of an 18th Century designed landscape. You will get hints, tips and advice from the professional forage guides, and even some tools to use on your own personal foraging journey. After the walk and talk it’s time for the most important part of the experience - foraged lunch.  This is cooked by a fully trained chef, so expect the food to be rather delicious……After all of this a bag of pre-packed leaves will seem very tame.Time to discover your wild side. THE ALL IMPORTANT DETAILS 3.5 hours  Available monthly on weekends Brighton Harvest a range of wild ingredients Learn the ins and outs of foraging from a professional Enjoy a delicious lunch Well behaved dogs very welcome HOW DOES IT WORK? All you have to do is pay for the gift experience you wish to purchase. We’ll send a voucher including booking information to you or directly to the recipient. You or your recipient needs to check the information on the voucher and book your experience date.

Learn to make a colourful Terrazzo plant pot in a Shoreditch studio, which you'll be able to take home... WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? It’s all the rage. The little coloured chips that are a staple in Italian homes are appearing everywhere. On walls and floors, tiles and dishes. It makes any surface look rather Mediterranean, and we could all use a bit of that. It started as an ideal way to reuse stone offcuts - and we aren’t talking 1970’s or 1950’s.  In the 16th-century recycling by laying on the chips was the hot ticket for interiors.   Francesca will be talking through the basics in this lovely, and very colourful plant pot workshop.  Using Jesomite, a water based resin as the base you will learn how to pigment this versatile material and make your own unique terrazzo chips in the process. Once you have the coloured pieces, you will cast your plant pot and pour your creation into silicone moulds.  They will then sand and seal and your pot will be ready to take home. THE ALL IMPORTANT DETAILS Apron and gloves are provided, and while the pots are drying out, refreshments will be provided.  This class takes place in their Shoreditch studio at least once a month, at the weekend (usually Saturday but also some Sundays).  The class is 3.5 hours and will be kept to 10 people maximum. HOW DOES IT WORK? All you have to do is pay for the gift experience you wish to purchase. We’ll send a voucher including booking information to you or directly to the recipient. You or your recipient needs to check the information on the voucher and book your experience date. We ask that the voucher is registered in 6 months and booked on a date within 12 months of purchase.

Join award-winning Georgie Mason's therapeutic, abstract and textured art class, for all abilities to enjoy... WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? What do Keith Richards, Prince Charles and Miley Cyrus have in common? They all find solace and an outlet for their creativity through art. Painting is a great way to get away from the stresses of life. Art is therapeutic and a studio is the antithesis of pace. If you have always wanted to explore painting, but don’t know how to start, or you have an idea but are unsure or worried about your ability, then you need to meet Georgie Mason. TELL ME MORE Georgie is an award-winning abstract landscape painter who works from her studio which is located at the charming Stepney City Farm in the middle of East London. The studio double doors open onto the farm, so you can watch the animals in an atmosphere that feels far removed from the city bustle.  Classes are aimed at anyone who would like to spend a peaceful afternoon or evening creating with like-minded souls. The studio is just the space to get you motivated, and you will have access to all the materials you need to get started. Georgie or Mona will talk you through the process of colour mixing, mark-making and texture, guiding you skillfully through the process until you have created your own masterpiece.  Whether you are a complete beginner, or you want to experiment with new techniques you will find Georgie easy and empathetic, and by the way, forget the competition - there isn’t any. The classes are kept small for a reason, you are there to paint, not to panic. IMPORTANT DETAILS Location: Stepney City Farm 3 hours weekend class, 11am - 2pm Short lunch break and lunch available from the cafe onsite All materials included in price (50 x 40 cm canvas). Option to buy additional canvas for £20 if you finish early. There will be tea/coffee and biscuits provided but if you'd like to drink some wine please bring your own. Insider tip: Make a day of it, feed the animals (donkeys, rabbits, goats and more), while away the afternoon with a refreshing drink at the cafe, and wander round 3 acres of greenery, fields and ponds.  Plus, buy your week's groceries from the food market onsite.    HOW DOES IT WORK? All you have to do is pay for the gift experience you wish to purchase. We’ll send a voucher including booking information to you or directly to the recipient. You or your recipient needs to check the information on the voucher and book your experience date.

Learn how to spot the freshest and healthiest seaweeds and adventure into Brighton's coastal foraging wonderland! WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? This experience takes place in the sea and around the clifftops of Brighton. Watch the sunset as you take a crash course in seaweed and sea herbs.  A wonderfully local experience or just an hour from London.Seaweeds are an excellent starting point for a forage. Packed full of minerals and vitamins they also come with a major advantage. Unlike say, a mushroom, they are relatively easy to identify.Even better, the ones that land up near the shore can all be eaten without a visit to accident and emergency. You do need to learn how to spot the freshest and healthiest seaweeds and of course some are much tastier than others, which is where a spot of expert help is very useful.Sea Lettuce instead of crisps?  A spot of Bladderwrack in your soup instead of salt? Pepper Dulce instead of lettuce?  A whole new foody area to get to grips with.Seaweeds have been eaten by the ancients, and used for everything over the years, from salt and medicines to paying taxes, these plants are survivors - and you will learn how to forage sustainably to ensure they carry on and on. THE ALL IMPORTANT DETAILS 2 hours and timing varies depending on the tide. Available 1-2 times a month in Brighton. Weekdays or weekends. Harvest a range of wild ingredients Learn the ins and outs of foraging from a professional Sample delicious tasters Well behaved dog very welcome HOW DOES IT WORK? All you have to do is pay for the gift experience you wish to purchase. We’ll send a voucher including booking information to you or directly to the recipient. You or your recipient needs to check the information on the voucher and book your experience date.

Start to look about at hedgerow plants and think how you might be able to use them in salads and stir-fries. WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? We are surrounded by wild plants and herbs, and a surprising amount are edible.Where to start?  How much should you pick?  Is it tasty?  These questions and many more will be answered on an ‘Urban Forage’, as you take a walk around Brighton’s woods and fields to discover the world of sustainable foraging. The last bit is very important.  Only take what you need. This workshop has a charming subtitle ‘An introduction into our world’, and it really is.  Start to look about at hedgerow plants and think how you might be able to use them in salads and stir-fries. This foraging team also supply restaurants and bars in the local Brighton area.During the 2.5 hours you will be told the plants to avoid, which plants are in season and when, and also get an insight into the general rules and laws that apply to a responsible forager.This introduction will set you on a path to picking and eating deliciously fresh, free food.How wild is that? THE ALL IMPORTANT DETAILS 2.5 hours and timing varies depending on the tide. Available monthly (weekends or weekdays) The Location and details will be emailed to you 1 week before the event starts (to focus on best ingredients available at the season) but will be in an accessible location in the Brighton area Harvest a range of wild ingredients Learn the ins and outs of foraging from a professional Sample delicious tasters Well behaved dogs very welcome HOW DOES IT WORK? All you have to do is pay for the gift experience you wish to purchase. We’ll send a voucher including booking information to you or directly to the recipient. You or your recipient needs to check the information on the voucher and book your experience date.

A relaxing wild swim followed by a four-course foraged picnic on an empty Kent beach - what could be better? A proper day out, and only 90 mins from London. Deal is undiscovered Kent. Empty beaches and food to forage straight from the sea. Go on - shut your eyes and imagine….. You’re swimming in a warm summer sea, looking back at cliffs, and at an unspoiled shoreline that’s brimming with free food. Feeling full of happiness and refreshed from a relaxing swim, you head back to the beach to enjoy a ‘rolling’ beach picnic, entirely created from wild foods that have been plucked straight from the landscape.  Think buttery wild leaf tarts, seaweed bread and wild fennel mayonnaise, washed down with rose petal gin cocktails and a canape on the side.  As the tide goes out the foraging begins. Learn how to seek out the coastal edibles, and start to look at seaweed as food.  A whole new way to cook greens. A beach will never look quite the same again.  Open your eyes…. And now, make the day a reality.  WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? You will be along the Kent coast, from the ancient Smuggler’s highway to sun drenched beach paths overlooked by the White Cliffs. After your swim at around 12pm you'll be given a 4 course picnic. The food is frankly delicious, and it’s not surprising, Lucia has been foraging for 30 years and in 2011 published a book ‘Eating Flowers’. Go in a day or make a weekend of it. Kent is a fabulous county easily reached by train from London in just over an hour.  THE ALL IMPORTANT DETAILS 12-5.30pm foraging and swimming near Deal. Times may vary depending on the month A wonderful day trip from London or weekend away. Learn the ins and outs of foraging from a professional Delicious lunch included, with botanical alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks and teas    HOW DOES IT WORK? All you have to do is pay for the gift experience you wish to purchase. We’ll send a voucher including booking information to you or directly to the recipient. You or your recipient needs to check the information on the voucher and book your experience date.

If you thought pasta making was all about a metal machine with a roller, then think again (gluten-free available!) WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? You are about to become a pasta artist, and you will be taught by the best artisan pasta maker this side of Naples.Silvana is a 4th generation pasta maker. Her great-grandfather started a pasta shop back in 1893, and she has been tweaking the dough since she was a tiny child. You only have to look at her gluten-free rose ravioli to know you are about to learn from an expert.Classes are kept small - max five students, so expect a lot of individual attention.You will be learning about the history of pasta, what to look out for if you need a quick dried fix from the supermarket, how to make the fillings and how to shape the dough. Of course, you will be eating your creations.Ask to see the photograph of great grandfather in front of his pasta shop. Magic.    THE ALL IMPORTANT DETAILS All ingredients included - choose up to 4 pasta shapes to make during the class. (Please note seasonal restrictions - filled pasta is typically only made December, January, and sometimes February). The regular pasta class is 4 hours and takes place weekly on Thursday at 7:30pm and Saturday at 4:30pm The gluten free class is 3 hours and takes place on Monday evening at 8pm and Saturday at 11am Located at Silvana's fab home in Brentford (just 30 mins from Waterloo) Small intimate classes of max 5 students Sweet snack + Italian coffee/ tea/ hot chocolate/ bottled water included Choose between group ( 1 to 2 people) or private class in the 'options'     HOW DOES IT WORK? All you have to do is pay for the gift experience you wish to purchase. We’ll send a voucher including booking information to you or directly to the recipient. You or your recipient needs to check the information on the voucher and book your experience date.

Escape to the coast. Forage wild garlic, asparagus, shellfish and berries followed by a 4-course foraged feast. This is a proper day out. One with purpose. A day of foraging. It all takes place near Deal, Kent, the garden of England, a county where you will be more than happy to learn how to live off the land. This is a seasonal experience, as you will eat and learn about all the different wild foods growing on the beaches and in the hedgerows. You'll learn how to identify edible wild plants and make them taste delicious. WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? From the ancient Smuggler’s highway to sun drenched beach paths overlooked by the White Cliffs. Your gourmet wild food feast is prepared by once French restauranteur, Lucia Stuart. She will be presenting rare and seasonal ingredients you may never have tried before. Our botanical bar has alcoholic & non alcoholic drinks & teas made with local flowers, herbs & even seaweed in the ‘Bloody Mermaid’.  The food is frankly delicious, and it’s not surprising, Lucia has been foraging for 30 years and in 2011 published a book ‘Eating Flowers’. Go in a day or make a weekend of it. Kent is a fabulous county easily reached by train from London in just over an hour.  THE ALL IMPORTANT DETAILS 5-7 hour foraging course near Deal, Kent A wonderful day trip from London or weekend away (1hr 20m from Kings Cross) Harvest a range of wild ingredients, including shellfish Learn the ins and outs of foraging from a professional Delicious lunch included, with botanical alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks and teas Small groups from 6-16 AVAILABILITY Starting from April 2024. It happens once a month on the weekend.   HOW DOES IT WORK? All you have to do is pay for the gift experience you wish to purchase. We’ll send a voucher including booking information to you or directly to the recipient. You or your recipient needs to check the information on the voucher and book your experience date.

Learn how to make Sauerkraut, Kimchi & Preserved Lemons. Turn your diet into a probiotic powerhouse! WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? Time to sort out the good from the bad, and tend to our gut flora. Fermentation is one of the oldest techniques for preserving food, and interestingly is now proving to be one of the healthiest. Learn how to turn your diet into a probiotic powerhouse, with an in-depth introduction into lactic fermentation techniques - or in layman’s terms - how to make Sauerkraut, Kimchi (fermented vegetables) and Preserved Lemons. WHAT WILL I BE LEARNING? You will also be taught new ways to combine these ancient foods into everyday meals, so those bottles on the shelf aren’t left to languish. Leave the workshop with recipes, knowledge and the confidence to add a bit of ferment to your life.  THE ALL IMPORTANT DETAILS This experience is 3 hours and for one person. The class happens twice a month on Sunday in Walthamstow, a couple of minutes walk from Blackhorse Road (on the Victoria Line). You will make three ferments to take home, given recipes and a tonne of knowledge to carry on your new hobby. Suitable for beginners. There are 10-12 people in a class. HOW DOES IT WORK? All you have to do is pay for the gift experience you wish to purchase. We’ll send a voucher including booking information to you or directly to the recipient. You or your recipient needs to check the information on the voucher and book your experience date.

Create a beautiful mosaic reminiscent of the ancient classics and learn from a Master Mosaicist. WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? An artist's paradise. Prepare to be mesmerised by the variety of colours, the shades and the depth that can be created with small chips of stones and glass. There are mosaics and there are extraordinary mosaics.  TELL ME MORE Giulia Manzoni is a Master Mosaicist. Classically trained in Italy, she has been working between London and San Francisco. Now based in London, Giulia has collaborated on projects from the floor restoration of the Victoria and Albert Museum to several bespoke mosaic projects. She works regularly with architects to create mosaics for walls and pools, inspired by ancient Greek or Roman designs. As well as designing her own collection of strikingly modern products using marble fragments. The next time you walk across a museum or find yourself contemplating in a church, look down at the floors beneath your feet and wonder. These are works of art made with love by artisans who for the last four thousand years have designed everything from advertising to great religious works, just by using little stones. THE ALL IMPORTANT DETAILS This full-day experience is to gain an insight into the stones. Learn about the tools and materials before you set about making your own piece of art, to take home with you. This class is for complete beginners, and the initial design will be provided by Giulia for you to fill and follow. You can’t build Pompeii overnight, it takes a bit of practice, but your 15cm x 15cm will seem just as challenging. It will also make you think more about those areas of a building you might be inclined to take for granted. Location is Cockpit Arts in Holborn from 10am - 6pm. The class happens once to twice a month on a weekend.   HOW DOES IT WORK? All you have to do is pay for the gift experience you wish to purchase. We’ll send a voucher including booking information to you or directly to the recipient. You or your recipient needs to check the information on the voucher and book your experience date.

Spend 5 hours finding, identifying, and tasting wild ingredients and preserves. This is a foraging experience with a feast at the end. Multiple locations. Northwest UK. WHAT'S THIS ALL ABOUT? At the start of the day, you will be given a briefing on the safety, ethics, and etiquette of foraging, and also the laws, for yes, there are laws around foraging.  It is also about taking what you need and not just grabbing at everything you see.The walk will cover about 3-4 kilometers of paths, as you search out edible wild species and learn how to spot poisonous look-alikes from a professional forager.  This is obviously a very important part of any foraging experience.  This is a chance to slow down, meet new people, and reconnect with nature. There are lots of flavours to be discovered in our hedgerows, and even if you never pick another leaf from the wild, you will have learned a lot about our native plants and sustainability. The feast at the end of the day will have been prepared in advance by your tutor - and it is a feast.  Menus are seasonal, often consisting of over 30 different wild ingredients.  There will be up to five different courses, and two drink options, so you will be able to taste the extraordinary flavours that nature provides.  The feast comes in your own personal ‘forage box’ - a cool bag with a bento box filled with deliciousness.  Every forager will have their own recipes, and menus will of course reflect the seasons.   What will you get?  How does nettle and wild fennel quiche sound?  A wild garlic pesto, pickled hogweed with braised pigeon breast, wild parasol mushroom risotto and roasted chestnuts - you get the idea.  It will certainly inspire you to get out there and discover the bounty on your doorstep. TELL ME MORE These foraging workshops are held all over the Northwest, from The Wirral to Sheffield. They run from Spring through to Autumn.  The maximum number of people in any group is 25, and the events run from Wednesday through to Sundays.  Regular events are held at each of their locations, only changing if the land needs a ‘rest.’   THE ALL IMPORTANT DETAILS Numerous locations across the Northwest - eg Altrincham, Arnside, Lake District, Lancaster, Richmond/Yorks, Alderley Edge, The Wirral, Bakewell, Conniston, Sheffield Spring to Autumn, Wednesday to Sunday Max group Size - 25   HOW DOES IT WORK? All you have to do is pay for the gift experience you wish to purchase. We’ll send a voucher including booking information to you or directly to the recipient. You or your recipient needs to check the information on the voucher and book your experience date.