NFRC: Heading to London for a month

Now I want to go back to London again!
Harrods food hall was amazing and we also had lunch in their Mediterranean restaurant. So good.

I had made reservations at Gordon Ramsey's Kitchen and was so underwhelmed that I ill never visit another of his places. Ottolenghi, however, I'm certain would not disappoint.

We also LOVED tea at The Library Lounge! It overlooks the Thames and the tea and accompaniments were great! If you'd rather not do tea, they offer unlimited Proseco!
 
marilynfl said:
Day 4: Sunday
London marathon: 52,000 runners and 700,000 spectators.

Day 4: Sunday
Marilyn gets the hell out of Dodge. Took high speed train to Margate on the North Sea. Had fish & chips.

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They were…okay. None have ever compared to Bath version.

Still…sitting on a sunny beach, eating fish & chips and getting the evil eye from 47 sea gulls. Could be worse.
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Seagulls are my nemesis when I feed my crows.
 
marilynfl said:
Day Six

British history museum
Science museum
V&A museum
Brompton Oratory
…and finally Harrods food court

cheese case (for Marg)

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…and finally, my first sweet disappointment “mango mousse” at Caffe Concerto. So loaded with preservatives and stabilizers, it was inedible. Also surprised they served it with the acetate collar still on.


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Oh isn’t the Cartier exhibit at the V&A?? I would love to see that!!! When I went to New York, many years ago, I lucked out in the Fabergé exhibit was at the Met when I was there. I got to see so many eggs, it was fabulous!
 
Judy, that is RIGHT across the street from me! Thanks.

Maria, yes…the Cartier exhibit is here. But it’s £25 entry ($34) and the Crown jewel were enough for me. Plus long line for timed exhibit; meanwhile the rest of the V&A is free.

Re: money
I bought a £15 ($20) paperback book on the Clock Museum at the Science Center. They don’t supply bags, so I had to pay £4 ($6) for a bag to carry it home. (Note to self: being string bag next time!)

Asked the concierge at my hotel if they could mail it to CA, USA for my friend. Got this email last night:

We can offer you the following options to send your items back:

1. Express delivery within 2-4 days: £ 108.71 (Collection, packing and tracking number included)

2. Economy delivery within 6-8 days: £ 85.40 (Collection, packing and tracking number included)

Ha! I like this friend. I just don’t like him that much.
 
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marilynfl said:
(Sorry about the image size. I’m working off my iPad and can’t seem to reduce the images.)

Day 3: Ate at one of my favorite chefs: Yotam Ottolenghi. He has multiple restaurants, but I opted for one of his delis.

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I chose the pork kofta, butternut squash, basmati and hummus. It was ALL delicious.

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And truly, the food is as beautifully prepared and displayed as it is in his books. So 3D matched 2D.

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Look at the samosas. They look almost like puff pastry. ??
 
marilynfl said:
Day Six

British history museum
Science museum
V&A museum
Brompton Oratory
…and Harrods food court

cheese case (for Marg)

View attachment 3264

…and finally, my first sweet disappointment “mango mousse” at Caffe Concerto. So loaded with preservatives and stabilizers, it was inedible. Also surprised they served it with the acetate collar still on.


View attachment 3266
Click to expand...
Such a civilized shop. Makes me smile just to think about it. (just smiling is much easier on the calories)
 
Re: Ottolenghi

Marg, the woman seated by me (one long table for all guests) had a samosa. I think it was filo dough. He uses that a lot.
 
mariadnoca said:
Oh isn’t the Cartier exhibit at the V&A?? I would love to see that!!! When I went to New York, many years ago, I lucked out in the Fabergé exhibit was at the Met when I was there. I got to see so many eggs, it was fabulous!
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We also saw the Faberge exhibit at the Met! It set a level that's hard for other displays to live up to. My favorite was the flowers in vases with rock crystal 'water'.
 
lana-in-fl said:
We also saw the Faberge exhibit at the Met! It set a level that's hard for other displays to live up to. My favorite was the flowers in vases with rock crystal 'water'.
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Yes, swoon! I still have the big display book from the exhibit on my coffee table. 😁
 
marilynfl said:
Judy, that is RIGHT across the street from me! Thanks.

Maris, yes…the Cartier exhibit is here. But it’s £25 entry ($34) and the Crown jewel were enough for me. Plus long line for timed exhibit; meanwhile the rest of the V&A is free.

Re: money
I bought a £15 ($20) paperback book on the Clock Museum at the Science Center. They don’t supply bags, so I had to pay £4 ($6) for a bag to carry it home. (Note to self: being string bag next time!)

Asked the concierge at my hotel if they could mail it to CA, USA for my friend. Got this email last night:

We can offer you the following options to send your items back:

1. Express delivery within 2-4 days: £ 108.71 (Collection, packing and tracking number included)

2. Economy delivery within 6-8 days: £ 85.40 (Collection, packing and tracking number included)

Ha! I like this friend. I just don’t like him that much.
Click to expand...
Ugh, I hear you on the long lines…I was at the dmv today.
 
Started the day walking to Somerset House to see the Goya exhibit. Passed a small Lebanese cafe and popped in when I saw their oven: (online image…two bakers were standing in front of the oven in the cafe I walked in).

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Got one each on the bottom row above. All were warm!

Just strolling down the street, munching on warm bready stuff.

My definition of Happy.
 
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marilynfl said:
Started the day walking to Somerset House to see the Goya exhibit. Passed a small Lebanese cafe and popped in when I saw their oven: (online image…two bakers were standing in front of the oven in the cafe I walked in).

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Got one each on the bottom row above. All were warm!

Just strolling down the street, munching on warm bready stuff.

My definition of Happy.
Click to expand...
I would have had to try at least one of each!
 
marilynfl said:
Started the day walking to Somerset House to see the Goya exhibit. Passed a small Lebanese cafe and popped in when I saw their oven: (online image…two bakers were standing in front of the oven in the cafe I walked in).

View attachment 3277View attachment 3278
Got one each on the bottom row above. All were warm!

Just strolling down the street, munching on warm bready stuff.

My definition of Happy.
Click to expand...
Wow, they all look delicious! Anything named 3 way cheese is ok with me. ;) Feta and spinach, yes please. Fave?
 
Monj, the feta was my favorite. The harboura had a nice kick to it and I wish I’d started with that one. These weren’t that big, but three were too much.
 
So today (Saturday) hasn’t gone all that well.

I started out early but got turned around on the Underground and had to make a few station adjustments (weekend changes + bank holiday + lines closed for repair.) Decided to try another Ottolenghi deli and thought Notting Hill might be nice. The lost transport time got me there later than I hoped.

So…surprisingly (to me at least) Notting Hill is rather run-down and narrow streets were crammed with cheap touristy shops. Ottolenghi’s is on a classier street but very tiny. Only 2 sitting benches outside and both were taken up by folks with huge baby carriages (prams? I don’t know, but they are BIG objects).

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It was also crowded inside and the counter folks (take out only) were doing their best. I opted for quiche, ham & cheese spiral and a currant scone—a bit much, but I wasn’t coming back here.

The offerings were minimal…mostly desserts and croissant-type pastries.
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Turns out they were turning over for lunch items and had I known that, I would have waited another 20 minutes for the fresh lunch items. But mine were already boxed up and so 15 pounds later ($20.52) I had my bag of food and left. I assumed there would be a park near by. I assumed wrong. I finally found a courtyard for something called Tabernacle (community center?) with tables and started to eat. My first bite of quiche (cold, they don’t heat) was the crusty end and quite good. The next bite was…ah…ah…I don’t like this…why don’t I like this…oh CRAP…this isn’t feta, it’s GOAT CHEESE!

Ya. No label description on this item or I would have run from the store before ordering it ($10 wasted)

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Gotta stop now. I have books to review at the library next door.
 
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Apparently, “Sunday Roast” is a thing here, so I opted to try one at a restaurant inside the train station next to my hotel: The Betjeman Arms.

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The big Ascot hat-looking thing on the top is Yorkshire pudding. It was actually good, considering I thought it would be very eggy. It wasn’t. The edges were crispy, yet airy. Odd but in a good way. It came with a bunch of veggies underneath the Yorkshire pudding and meat slices: hispi cabbage (a Mary Berry thing and on almost all meals I’ve seen), carrots, potatoes, celery root and “lashing of gravy.”

Aye, me matey!

I caused a bit of consternation when I asked if they could wrap up the “other two-thirds” of my meal that I couldn’t finish. Turns out they don’t do take-away boxes, so I told them that was okay. A sous chef came out and asked if foil was okay and I said YES! It was tasty and it was expensive and I have room in my hotel mini bar, next to the obscenely priced wine, beer, candy, chips, and booze.

Sunday Roast: Done and done.

Then I had dessert by soaking up Millais, Sargeant, Waterhouse and Rossetti at the Tate Britain.
 
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Ooh ya. Sunday roast was always a big deal in my home. That Yorkshire pudding is spectacular. I have never seen such rise. Wish I could manufacture that one, but it normally takes lots of room in a very hot oven along with a good load of beef fat.

Good meal. I really enjoyed it. Thank you for treating me.
 
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