Belated- Birthday Lunch

Saw St John's Restaurant on the internet, apparently it's the 'fav restaurant of chefs' -so let's see what the other -half eat I thought... A perfect B-Day present.

"Head to Tail" is their motto, that and traditional English cooking. I had perused the menu so I did know what I was getting into as we approached Smithfields Market (London's major meat market), the restaurant's gigantic neighbor.

Our meal... 

Brown Crabmeat on Toast

Duck Hearts, Watercress & Pickled Walnut (*)

Snail, Sausage & Chickpea

Roast Middlewhite, Trotter (the top of pigs feet) & Prunes

Eccles Cake & Lancashire Cheese (*)

Jam Rolly Polly

It was really good.!.!. The duck hearts actually being one of the most delicious items.Hey, at least we didn't order the 'Blood Cake & Fried Eggs" or "Kid Faggot & Braised Red Cabbage" (which is simply goat meatballs and cabbage- but sounds like a punk of a Garbage Pail Kid). 

A picture of da' hearts for ya!!

http://www.stjohnrestaurant.com/menus/

Regents Park

Now that the weather is nice I have been out and about in  Regents Park a lot. 

I really like it because:

• Its got a lot of diversity with grasslands, wetlands, wooded areas, and sports fields. With in each there is even more diversity in pretty flowers and interesting trees. At he center there is a 'secret garden' with a palm tree section!!
• There are a lot of animals especially birds (a lot of bird watchers can be found here). Again, a lot of diversity, and many of them tend to be freakishly people friendly. Oh, there is also a zoo- where you can steal sneak peeks at the emus and lambs when walking along the dirt path behind it. 
• Lot of grassy areas for picnics and playing sports- even 12 tennis courts.
• Lots of Americans - there were eight villas built within the parks grounds. Some of which now house an American University and the US Ambassadors house, where Obama stayed the other week. 

Not sure how this park stays so nice- guess it's because all royal parks are locked up at dusk and reopened at 5am. Here are some pix of Easter inspired flower beds....

Sticks

Went past James Smith & Sons today, an old Victorian shop selling umbrellas and sticks since 1840. Famed for its quality and repair services its products are crafted in the basement of the store, and sourced from small family firms around the UK. Beside the sticks, the interior hasn't changed for over 140 yrs so it is a sight to see. Today they sell men and womens umbrellas, specialty umbrellas (the red one picturesd- cool, but people look like dopes walking around with them), canes, walking sticks, seat sticks (for hunting?), umbrella seat sticks 

(for the unfortunate?) , and folding seats. Of which my favorite is the 'Tripod Crook Handle Seat' a combination between a cane and a folding seat (pictured). 

Definitely worth a visit, but you can also check it out online.

Topshop Kids

Thought this was a good week to put up these photos as Topshop opened it's doors in NYC this week. Saturday is the day when Oxford Circus, in particular the Topshop there (biggest in the UK) is really crazy. It's when all the manic teens come to stock up on key fashion items they've bee aching for all week. Wearing last weeks finds-- they huddle together around the back of the store- away from Oxford and Regents streets- to seek refuge, exchange style tips, and recover from the giant holes in their wallets....

Bagel or Beigel...

Who said you cant find a good bagel in London. I've tried the spongy bagels from NY style bagel shops - no good.  But on Brick Lane they've got a deli- British Style with the bagel's cousin.. Mr Beigel. Not quite as crispy on the outside or light on the inside. But served with delicious salmon or salt beef in the middle. Delicious.....

Material Girl!

Went to the exhibit of Madonna's dance and movie costumes at the Old Truman Brewery last week. A weird place with Madonna's music blaring- seemed like some uber-fan's industrial size loft at first. It was pretty hokey overall- but very cool. I'm not a major fan, but I definitely left in the M-zone. Up close you could see the wear and tear on the costumes. I can't really imagine today's Madonna running around in these polyester get-up's. Guess everyone's gotta start somewhere. Most dresses were designed by Adrianne Phillips. A lot of Evita dresses, the infamous red material girl dress, Jean Paul Gautier's Tasseled Teddy. Each of the mannequins were accompanied by a mini-me Barbie doll wearing the exact same outfit- kind weird. Highlights were what I call the 'Kitchen Sink Dress' (pictured here from the back) this was from the 'Like a Virgin' tour. A wall full of magazine covers with Madonna on the cover from over the years, Concert paraphernalia, divorce papers from Sean Penn, Concert t-shirts and posters from the beginning of Madonna-time, and 'Desperately Seeking Susan' dolls (who knew?).  

More 'Spoons

You may ask yourself. Why leave my living room for Wetherspoons? Why? Because you wont experience much culture shock and you may even meet people. Where else can you get two pints of Green King IPA for 2.60, or buy a bottle of wine for 1 pound more than a glass. Where else can you surf the Internet and watch TV for hours. Well, Wetherspoons. You may have to fight off a drunk to watch the channel you want, but with grocery store prices on booze and the same amenities as home sweet home, why not? Try Wetherspoons this weekend, you will find it truly is, your home away from home. ; ) .

PS. Dont leave home without reading their 'Responsible drinking guide' on the Wetherspoons website; www.jdwetherspoon.co.uk/social-responsibility/drinks.php#section-header 

Also, don't worry if you get lost on the way to the bathroom there are fool proof signs with arrows leading back to the bar for even the most dedicated drunkard.

Teaspoons?

I have never owned or really even used a teaspoon, besides the ones used for measuring, before. Here these baby spoons are primarily used for scooping teabags out of teacups and stirring in milk or a lump of sugar. Where I am living the same number of teaspoons are washed up per day as forks. Which leads me to teatime. Generally you are either a Builders tea person (regular tea- Typhoon brand) or an Herbal tea person. Herbals like their tea pure, with no distractions from milk or sweeteners. Builders like their tea milky white, some prefer sugar, the older crowd prefers half tea/half hot water to keep them from staying up at night. When I first moved here I had about five 'cuppas' a day. After suffering from dehydration and watching my teeth start to dull I gave it up, and returned to being a coffee person. Gave it up, but gave in to something worse, instant coffee. It is in just about every household in the UK. In the US it barley makes it into one in five. I did force an upgrade from regular Nescafe to 'Alta Rica' blend, which is a definite improvement. But alas it is a pale imitation. Out of desperation and lack of bread (dough$) I ended up buying a percolator from a fellow American I came across on Gumtree (the UK equivalent of Craigslist). He was upgrading, and actually, so was I. After our 'exchange' at Kings Cross  I gallivanted over to Starbucks for a special treat. I went to the counter with my bag of beans, "I'd like these ground for a flat bottom machine please." Disbelief and confusion was what I saw. Luckily they were selling a coffee percolator behind me so I pointed to that. Slowly they began to realize they had a grinder behind them. Ten minutes later they figured out how to use it and looked thoroughly chuffed (pleased) when they handed over a bag full of Starbucks finest. The bag, which is smaller than the ones in the states, was el finito in about a week. Intimidated by my last transaction I waited until I went to the states over the holidays and came back with Starbucks and Caribou coffee galore. We were in permanent coffee heaven for about two months. After five days of Lavazza at fashion week, I've decided to try the Italian bean. Very good so far..

This brings me to the good ol' Americano. You can just go up to any coffee counter an order a cup of joe, most places don't do brewed coffee (just like most homes). The closest thing is the Americano, a shot of espresso with hot water.  I always feel like a tit/idiot (or titiot) ordering one. Another American ordering another Americano- how cliche!

All that said, I do enjoy a cup of tea sometimes, just like having a bath instead of a shower. Alas, you can take a gal out of America, but you can't take the America (or Americano) out of a gal! 

Last Look

Bye bye women with funny furry hats and headbands with springs sprouting out. Good bye VIP lounge, champagne bar, and press room wine. Looking forward to sitting down for five days to counter balance the five days of heels and small talk. See you next season!

BFC LFW

London is unfortunate in that it's homegrown talent gets sucked away into Europe or the US. At London Fashion Week there are catwalk (runway) shows at the Natural History Museum (3/day; the better ones are at other venues) and there also is a trade show at the same site for smaller designer's collections. To me it is a great concept giving small designers the chance to 'show' at LFW. In NY we have a separate trade show after fashion week called Coterie, about two weeks after the runway shows. Though there are millions of runway shows in NYC, enough that attending a sales show on top of it would really bowl fashion editors and buyers over, its nice that the smaller people have a chance to interact with the press and show their wears. Topshop sponsers a 'NexGen' area in the show where selected designers have big built out booths plus their own runway show the last day of LFW. Which again is great-- as long as they don't move to Paris after the season's over.

The most exciting part for me is Esthetica, the ethical fashion section of the sales show that is gaining momentum. It was great to talk to green bloggies/ and fashion editors/ green stylists/ green boutique owners/ and of course other designers. Nothing like it to take the temperature of ther ethical fashion movement. All were very nice and open about what they are doing, how they are working, and what groups they are supporting. Smart fashion- that is what I like to see! . Anyhow- here's the runway schedule and styles from 'Minna' the ethical designer I've been consulting/working with this season. 

British Obesession #1

The first in a series of British obsessions. Just by turning on the TV its is hard not to become aware of the latest British obsessions #2 Food and #3 Homes. #1 is a slightly new obsession that can be applied to Food and Homes, but is such a force it has it's own blog entry. 

Obsession #1: Living off the Land

From weaving baskets to growing your own pigs and slaughtering them this is the new British dream. You can learn how to make home made lip balm on BBC's 'Victorian Farm'. Read Hugh Fearnley Whitingstall's River Cottage Cookbook in order to butcher and cook up your very own Ol' Bess. My question is when do you go into the office? For those with 9-5 jobs you can go to The Yarner Trust in Devon at the weekend and take a course in 'traditional soapmaking' , 'backyard poultry', or 'wattling hurdles' (making fence for livestock). This isn't for farmers, its for you and me. Getting back to basics sounds like a b*tch to me!

A little leftover love!

Saw this Love Wall in Islington last night. Great idea, this couple was looking for a pen.

Wrapping up...

Drove through Blackpool the next day to see 'Blackpool Tower' built in 1894, at only 518 feet it's only half the size of its French rival the Eiffel. Next stop Samlesbury Hall near Preston. My husbands family rented this 14C. manor house in 1830 when the family was in the coal business. Now mainly a wedding venue the Tudor exterior is nothing compared to the intricate wood carvings decorating the walls, ceilings, even banisters inside. Interestingly the house, when built must have had Catholic residents that hid their priest in the 'priest's hole' just above the chapel to keep him safe from the Protestants. Drove through some local towns where these same relatives owned some land, and may still- when is that 999yr lease up again? (subject of a future blog). 

Stopped by a friend of my husbands house for lunch and walked around one of the reservoirs next door. Apparently an entire village was demolished to make room for these huge water stores. Ruins of this town still remain. If we had more time we wanted to go hunting for ghost towns in the North, a by product of the industrial boom and subsequent collapse. This was as close as we got. 

The best curry in the UK? London? Think again- Bradford. There were about 20 in this town from the list of 'best curry houses in the UK' to choose from. We settled on one, Mumtaz. This place is an institution. Dine on their delicious food, buy on of their logo purses, or prepared foods, how about a hamper of chutneys, curry baby food?, what about pan (a digestf). You can even have a full Pakistani or Indian wedding here. Food was delicious but maybe next time we'll pick another one with a little less bling.

Stayed in Leeds, just a half and hour away. It is a big city with lots of shopping malls, and a nightlife that doesn't stop. They also have 4 star hotels, that are cheap especially on lastminute.com!! We realized this really is the place to be when we discovered the 'Alcolizer' a coin operated breathalyzer in the parking garage. Some cab company should advertise right next to this thing- great money making scheme. Stopped in Harrogate because we spotted a really neat old tea room, 'Betty's'. Soon we discovered that this too was an institution, but a delicious one. My first Yorkshire Cream tea of the trip. I thought it was tea with clotted cream in it but its actually just tea with scones and clotted cream to put on top. Once it arrived I had a flashback to having tea the first time I was in London with my family as a youngster. Delicious! 

We had quickly stopped at a ruined Abby earlier in the drive. Where locals had turned the remains of the looted Abby into a house. But Fountains Abby was really beautiful. With few tourists willing to face the snow and ice we practically had the remains to ourselves. This was one of the biggest Cistercian Abby's in the UK which was ultimately destroyed by Henry VIII in the Dissolution.

Drove on up into the Yorkshire Moors- slightly less impressive covered in snow and stopped at an old pub in the middle of the National Park at Hutton le Hole for a pint. Out of the Moors we quickly rounded the harbour at Whitby, Captain James Cook's hometown and got some pictures of the ruined Whitby Abby on the hill above. By dark we made it to another of our friends homes where we would stay the next two evenings. 

Next day took it easy walking around Malton, the local town and saw where the animal auctions are in the summertime. Zipped up to Castle Howard and met our friends neighbor the local vicar for drinks- funny guy! 

Our final day we drove up to Brodsworth Hall only to find the grounds were closed due to ice. So we snuck over a couple fences to see this house that my husband used to frequent as a kid. "Wow it looks so small now"  he said. Isn't that always the way.

Returned the rental car and wandered around York for a couple of hours. Had 'Sunday Roast' a tradition in the UK, usually either lamb or meat with veg, potatoes, and Yorkshire pudding ( a similar food would be a popover). Our last site was the National Railway Museum, I didn't think I would like this at all but it was really cool. Wish I could have taken my dad along, he would have loved it everything from the trains themselves to station benches, vintage menus, and ticket stubs. Our bus was broken down so we got an hour luxury taxi ride to the next bus stop and rode five more hours to Victoria Station. 

Great time, now back to work....

(pix: Robin Reliant 3 Wheeled Car, (a replica of) The Rocket Engine at York Na. Railway Museum, Samlesbury Hall, Rievaulx Abby, Blackpool Tower)

...more pix

Pix (Wobbly house Stratford Upon Avon; Tudor Wells, Roman bath in Bath; Welsh hills)

Cornwall to Blackpool

Slept on the north coast of Cornwall. In between the surfing village of Newquay and the fishing village of Padstow. Had local 'kippers' (smoked fish) and toast for breakfast. Drove to Rock to look at the coast and swing by the award winning Rock Bakery for its Cornish pasties. Forgot it was Sunday and everything is closed, especially at this time of year. Drove along the coast to Polzeath another coastal vacationing and surfing town. My husbands step mom has a vacation home here- definitely taking her up on any offers after our visit! Up to Tintagel to see the Old Post Office and the medieval castle on a rock overlooking the sea- the site (supposedly) of King Arthur's round table.  Grabbed a pastie as big as our heads and kept rolling up the coastal 'Atlantic Highway'. Stopped at Clovelly the steepest village in England. No cars can make it up the steep cobblestone paths so small 4x4s drag up and down supplies on sleds. I'm sure in the summertime it is really touristy here, but at this time of year it's cold, half price, and full of locals. Went through Exmoor National Park. Beautiful grasslands and rolling hills. One of our favorite parts of the trip, the 'storm light' that shown down the hills and valley was so amazing- Ive never seen anything like it. Side tracked to the fishing village of Pols Weir. Decided to take one of the few remaining toll roads down to the town. At the end of the road was a really cool thatch roof toll house. I expected a hunchback man to come out and demand a bunch of money. But the sign said to put a pound in the slot in the door and close the gate behind us- fair enough. On the way to the 'motorway' to Bristol there were tons of old stone farmhouses. Ate Caribbean and went to a pub in the Montpellier area of Bristol, then headed to our friends who were just arriving from London. 

The next day on the drive to Cheddar Gorge- where cheddar was born- it began to snow, forcing the freaked out Brits to pull over to the sides of the roads. Great thing for me, trained on the snowy roads of Minneapolis these driving conditions are second nature to me. On the radio we heard about school closings, bus and train delays, and the influx of emergency phone calls mainly from those who slipped or had snowballs thrown at them. P*ssies!! After Cheddar we drove on to Wells to see the 13C cathedral and cloisters. Really cool stuff- the highlight being the Medieval main street dating from 1381, the most complete street of its kind in Europe. Really looked like a movie set. On to Bath, where poked our noses into the roam bathes, yes we did take a sip of its 'healing waters'- tasted like metal. Went to the fashion museum and had tea and buns at Sally Lunn's famous bakery. Headed back to Bristol for a dinner date with our hosts. Before preparing dinner one of our hosts got in a minor car crash sliding down one of the many hills in town. So we were warned to take it easy the next day on our venture into Wales.

Tried to make an early start, there were definitely some prickly moments driving through the snowy hills in a tiny Mercedes but it was worth it. Locals out of work and school were 'sledging' (sledding) and snow boarding down the Welsh hills. Stopped in Breckon and got the go-aheadto go down the valley road near the Dan-yr-Ogof caves to the farm my husband spent his childhood days at. The hills were totally covered in snow -not a sheep in sight- I'm told not seeing sheep is very rare in these parts. By evening we made it to a roadway Pub/B&B. It was cool because this is what people did when travelling by carriage a long time ago. Felt like we were keepin it real. Jst like us they would have had a nice dinner and drinks next to the fire and sleep upstairs only to head off after breakfast the next morning. 

Next morning was Stratford Upon Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway. We really enjoyed the crazy Tudor houses here and in Warwick, the beholder of Warwick castle. Due to a lack of time and ambition we skipped the castle- though now we think maybe this was a mistake- ah well. Saw Buxton, where the spring water most UKers drink is from. Took a scenic drive through Peak National Park and made it to Blackpool around dinnertime. Walked down to the beachfront and saw the 'Winter Gardens' the epicenter of Victorian beach side fun. Went to a pub with pictures of Blackpool in its hay day- really reminds me of Coney Island. Went back to the B&B for some R&R. Next day another early start!

Pix(cheddar gorge; medieval street; tollhouse; Exmoor; Tintagel medieval castle)

Out West

Friday we loaded the National Express from Victoria to Penzance, yes as in the pirates of, and rode out west. After five hours of reading guide books we were ready. Got off at Plymouth and found out way to National car rental. While waiting for our car to be freed up chatted with a man who used to work in the famous tin mines in Cornwall. After they were flooded he opted out of mining. "The people were good, the pay was unbelievable, and it was relatively safe- lost a few- but they were well compensated." Then to our dismay we were upgraded. Already nervous about driving around the windy roads and roundabouts but in a brand new Mercedes? Uhhhh. Guess we should be grateful, probably made 100 GBP.  Went to a pub and searched out the cheapest local room price on lastminute.com. Tried out a couple other B&Bs, just to check out prices. They were all empty and desperate, but couldn't match our 38GBP double on lastminute, decided this would be our tactic for the rest of the trip. Unless we do end up sleeping in the car, luckily the rumors of snow and success in finding cheap rooms has kept us in the warm. Headed out to 'The Hoe' to find where the Mayflower set sail to the states in 1620. Not as magical as you would have thought, an arch and a plaque. There were many other plaques dedicated to other ships that were launched from the same harbor, notably a ship in 1584 that landed in Virginia, and named & claimed it for the Queen. Who knew?

Polished off fresh fish and chips and headed to a pub for some local Tribute brew. 

The next morning we got our stomachs churning to a nice "full English" (toast, baked beans, sausage, bacon, egg, and cooked mushrooms). Perused the bowling green where Francis Drake outwitted the Spanish Armada. Then hopped in the Mercedes and took a ferry on chains across the harbor and up to the Eden project. Mediterranean and Rainforest biomes, not a major highlight. Back on the road to Lizard, the southern most point of England. Here many lifeboats were sent out to save people in peril. Also where pirates would lure boats onto the rocks and rob them blind. Rounded the peninsula up to St Ives. A beachy/surfing town full of artists and a Tate outpost. Really neat old city but fairly crowded. Gobbled up some local fudge and wandered around eyeing the vacation houses on the market- due to the downturn. Decided to go for it and pushed up past the surfing town of Nuke to Padstow. Found a 40GBP place on a surfing beach and went to get a nice fish dinner in Padstow. When I mean nice I mean Chef Rick Stein style. Delicious fish and beautiful restaurant at The Seafood Restaurant. I 'm surprised they let two scrubs like us in but money is money. Chargrilled Seabass in Tomato Vanilla vinaigrette- delicious. Looking forward to checking out the waves tomorrow and testing out these 'Cornish pasties' tomorrow ending up the day in Bristol- hope we make it!! 

An Ol' Fashioned Road Trip

Tomorrow morning we are setting off. Only the road in front of us and about 2 GBP to our names. We've decided to go on a road trip. The goal is to see as much of the UK as possible in a little over a week while staying with friends and generally having a good time. 

There are a couple of things that concern me:

1.) I don't really know how to drive in the UK, and my husband cannot drive at all.

2.) Sleeping in the back of the car, especially because its winter.

3.) The questionable map reading skills of my husband.

4.) We didn't get in touch with friends until yesterday- so we are hoping they will be around- mainly so we wont have to sleep in the car.

Here is our general plan.

Friday 1/30: Take a bus to Plymouth, and pick up the 'Vauxhall Astra'.

Sat 1/31: Drive around Cornwall, and stay with friends in Crewkerne.

Sun 2/1: See Bath and stay in Bristol wit h friends.

Mon 2/2: Driving in Whales

Tues 2/3: Make it through Liverpool to Preston, stay with friends.

Weds 2/4: See the Lake District

Thurs 2/5: See the Yorkshire Moors

Friday 2/6: Driving in Southern Yorkshire

Sat 2/7: Arrive York and stay with friends.

Sun 2/8: Take the bus from York to London

I'm hoping to take you all along for the ride. So sit tight and I should be posting some pretty pictures. (I hope!!) 

Drive by 'Crisp List' #1

I really like potato chips. It was always a treat for us to get the Cape Cod kind when we were teens- delicious.  Salt and Vinegar yes! Cajun, allllright! How many flavors do you need in one chip- I mean what do you have against dips. Obviously you haven't tried the plain chip and onion dip combo. I've been pitching to Subway for years. Contact my sister, she'll probably send you a sympathy chip n' dip kit

. 

When I first 'moved here' last September I have been haphazardly starting 'crisp lists'. Today I was armed and ready (with my intern gear- oh I didn't tell you- I'm currently an economic downturn IN-tern) so I got it all down...

THE CRISP -flavor-LIST #1:

'Prawn Cocktail'

'Tangy Cheese'

'Lightly Salted'

'Ready Salted' -- must be slang

'Cheese and Onion'

'Salt and Malt Vinegar'

'Smoky Bacon'

'Flame Grilled Steak'

'Thai Sweet Chili'

Usually the list goes on, but as this was a mini mart Tesco I was slightly disappointed.

UNTIL.... I found that Walkers (a UK chip co.) had a flavor-off. This was EXACTLY what I was looking for. Buy one and vote online for your favorite. And the contestants are.......

'Fish and Chips'

'Crispy Duck and Hoisin'

'Chili and Chocolate'

'Cajun Squirrel'

'Onion Bhaji'

'Builders Breakfast'

We personally tried the 'Squirrel' and the 'Bldrs. Breakfast', guess which won. "You. can really taste the eggs." Was a comment I remeber hearing and I have to admit, it was true.  Here are some pictures- and if you really don't believe me go to Walkers website ( and vote for the Bldrs. Breakfast).

www.walkers-eathappy.co.uk

Gie her a haggis!

Happy 250th birthday Robbie Burns! It took me a while but I finally got up enough strength to try haggis. I think it was the reciting of the 'Address to a Haggis' at the pub the other night. Taught to me by a tried and true Scot, named Scott. I've been told you really only need to know the first verse.

 Fair fa your honest, sonsie (cheeky) face,

Great chieftan o' the puddin-race!

Aboon (above) them a' ye tak your place,

Painch (stomach) tripe, or thairm (intestine):

Weel are ye wordy o' a grace

As lang's my arm.

Went to Selfridges to get a haggis of our very own (it was recommended that we go there, I am not obsessed) and threw it in the oven for 2 1/2 hours as directed. We marched it to the table- no bagpipers- but alas it had popped open in the oven. The address seemed a little weak after that. It was delicious with 'tatties'/mashed potatoes  and well we substituted the 'neeps' /turnips for broccoli (probably a big no-no) and washed it down with nothing other than Scotch whiskey. Next year I might get some bagpipe music. My mother in law did decorate the table with a little tartan- as you may see in the photos. Now I just have to find a recipe for leftover haggis... hmm sandwiches?