The Jubilee....

As it's been well over a week since the Queen's Jubilee, and I still can't decide if the experience falls into to the "Amazing! Once in a lifetime! Isn't this simply grand!!?!" category or the "Bah. Should have stayed home and watched it all from the telly." I definitely told myself and anyone else who would listen both sentiments at one point or the other. Setting my royalist vs. republican internal conflict aside, it was a weekend of eccentric and funny experiences (including the little boy weeing on us portion of the program.) Wee aside, there was something quite exciting and moving about the pomp and pageantry of the occasion that united one million people in central London. Here are a few pictures.....

Waiting and waiting and waiting.....



An Afternoon at The Pipe and Glass Inn in Beverley

One of my favorite things about living in the UK is the plethora of country villages all within easy reach of London, each seemingly with a plethora of country pubs to choose from!  My sweetie recently surprised me with an afternoon drive and lunch at The Pipe and Glass Inn. The Pipe and Glass, in the market village Beverley, is the winner of the Michelin Pub of the Year 2012. I will admit I'm still unsure exactly where Beverley is other than to say "somewhere in East Yorkshire". However, I would highly recommend stopping by, or better yet, booking a night in one of their two boutique suites and making a romantic weekend of it. The pub was lovely and as rustic as you can imagine with comfy leather sofas and cozy snugs near big fireplaces. The perfect setting to imagine yourself a gentry land owner stopping by for a pint, or someone from EastEnders.

The backyard





The herb garden



Yes, apparently cows in East Yorkshire too!

If you'd like to be a pub explorer, check out http://www.pubs.com/

Happy Anniversary to me...



yep. that's a red velvet cupcake
sophiesmom.com



I can't believe it. Three years ago today I landed at Heathrow armed only with my favorite vintage furs, two overstuffed suitcases, impractical-for-London-footwear and buckets of naive optimism. I had no idea what was in store for me. And unbelievably, I'm still here!

I would never have imagined that my life was going to be turned upside down in so many ways, and every belief about myself challenged as I learned to navigate the transition from city life in Atlanta to city life in London. And trust me, there are very few commonalities between the two. Nothing unfolded as I had imagined - I found myself discovering a foreign city on my own with little support, no job prospects and an assortment of dubious accommodations. Throw in about a dozen other challenges that presented themselves quite quickly upon my arrival and - Voila - I had more invites to my own pity party than one could imagine.

I have only made it this far because of much needed support and encouragement from my mom and my best friends Sarah, Jeni and Kim. They spent many hours and calling card minutes consoling me, offering advice and the option to return immediately into open arms and spare bedrooms. However, this advice was paired with "Put your big girl panties on and deal with it. You can do this. I love you and I believe in you." For that, I am eternally thankful.

I absolutely don't regret my decision to move here, but it sure hasn't been easy. Yes, there are perks of course - London is unsurpassed when it comes to art, history, fashion, handsome suited and booted men and it's proximity to other really cool cities, but this experience has come with a few bittersweet sacrifices. By far, the best part of living here is that I have met some really awesome people who have made London bearable and most importantly, a once in a lifetime adventure (y'all know who you are).

As I wait anxiously for my tier 1 visa extension approval which affords me two more years and a path to British citizenship, I have learned many things over the past three years and here's a few:

1. London rocks and doesn't rock, often at the same time.

2. When the sun is out, London is truly a gorgeous & inspiring city.

3. As much as I fought against it, I do now say things like  "rubbish", "whilst",  "flat", "bespoke" and a whole string of swear words I won't type here. Yet apparently, I don't speak English.

4. The most important people in your life will always stay connected to you, and will fly hours to be with you.

5. You will stay connected to only the most important people in your life, and fly hours to be with them.

6.  I now know I can do anything and that rocks.

Sipsmith & Salmon at Mount Street Deli

Luckily, I work in Mayfair. By luck I mean I have convenient access to some of the best restaurants, hotels, galleries and boutiques London has to offer. If I had been blessed with even more luck, I would actually be able to afford to live in Mayfair. However, the gods have yet to bless me that much. So as the present, I am quite content to have Mayfair's Mount Street Deli right around the corner. A gem for it's 'British style' coffees, gourmet cheeses and rustic sandwiches often enabling my own improvised lunch time picnic in Hyde Park.

World's 50 Best Restaurants

The World's 50 Best Restaurants were announced yesterday - Heston Blumenthal's Dinner and The Fat Duck making the list, along with The Ledbury. 3 outta 50 ain't bad for the UK! I'm still pining to try The Fat Duck......

putneybuzz.co.uk

....because the food looks like this!

Now here's an English tipple for you....

Robin Webb, the winner of Sloane's Gin "Twisted Traditions" cocktail competition, created this concoction only a gran could love....served in a tea cup with a homemade vanilla macaroon on the side. A must try.

thedrinksbusiness.com

‘Grandma Sloanes Tea Time Tipple’ 

50mls Vanilla Rose pouchong (black tea) infused with Sloane’s Gin for 10mins (no heat needed)

25mls lemon juice

10mls rose syrup

Egg white

Two dashes orange bitters

(optional – violet essence atomiser)

• Dry shake, then hard shake over cubed ice.
• Served straight up in grandma’s best bone china.
• Garnished with two vanilla macaroons and (optional) give a quick spray with the violet essence.

Rain, rain go away.....

Sorry for the absence in posting!  My ennui is directly commiserate to the drab and grey weather we've been experiencing in London. It's always the hardest during the final few weeks before spring officially begins. Or summer as many feel the one week of sun we had was indeed spring. What I would do for a dose of sunshine. So admittedly, I have been consoling myself with Manhattans and Old Fashioneds (Made with bourbon of course! One must remain sensible to their southern roots.) One of these does indeed make the grey go away and warms up the insides. It's either this or time spent in an icky tanning bed.

Cocktails & Cabaret at Cafe de Paris

Ever since I bought a limited edition Liza Minelli inspired MAC makeup palette (circa 2003), I have adored cabaret. Perhaps it's the idea of wearing fishnets and false lashes in the debauched nightclubs of 1930's Berlin with my face made up like Liza (young Liza that is!)

Problem is, not everyone can cabaret. Myself included, in despite of the burlesque and dance classes taken. Some things are better observed than mimicked! However, I was pleased as punch to have finally found a decent cabaret show in London at Cafe De Paris. (La Soiree is another fab show...I'll be writing about that one later...)

Since 1924, Cafe de Paris has been the home of a few clubs, patronised by the who's who of London. Many a celeb and royal have been photographed blindly stumbling from the building in the wee hours. And now it was my turn! I joined a few friends for a cocktails and a three-course meal served up center front stage. Although like much of London, the meal isn't necessarily worth it's accompanying price tag, but it's well worth it as it secures you and your friends a prime table for the show.  If you're only there for cocktails, then you're squired away to the cheap seats in the balcony. 

if only I could do this!

and this! now that's a party trick

Overall, a highly enjoyable evening with talented and handsome entertainers. The tables are moved after the show as it becomes a dance club with your average Gaga remixes. Make your way to the tiny speakeasy-esque bar right of the stage where they will continue to play more retro inspired music. Speaking of, I just discovered The Correspondents. Check them out.

Drinking in the dark at Gordon's Wine Bar

When I first ventured down the stairs to Gordon's Wine Bar, I was convinced I was the only person in London who had never managed to brave the incredibly dark, narrow staircase in a pair of platforms! To my surprise, there were others behind us moving quite slowly with footwear trepidation. I didn't feel so bad.

as none of my pictures turned out, this is from agreatlittleplace.com

Reportedly London's oldest wine bar, Gordon's has a smattering of wines, sparklers, ports and - my new favourite tipple of the season - sherry. The setting of Gordon's may not be to everyone's taste (1950's pirate hideaway), however if you're looking for a darkly lit cavern to lure a potential dates and imbibe them with cups of port and sherry before you steal their belongings and have your way them, this may be exactly the place for you.

...as these are the really large cups in which they serve port & sherry!

........and how incredibly dark it is inside (good for hiding pirate booty, making out and not looking too closely at the yellowing walls and decades of dust)

thisilondon.co.uk

No such thing as too much champagne....at Fortnum & Mason

fortnumandmason.com

Last night I had the opportunity to attend a tasting of Fortnum & Mason's ten favourite champagne houses, tasting no less than 30 champagnes. Well, someone had to make the sacrifice.....

Overall a well balanced selection of Grand Houses and Grower Champagnes, including a few of my favorites - Pol Roger's Cuvee Winston Churchill 1999, Taittinger's Les Folies and Bollinger's Grande Annee 2002.

Accompanied by complimentary nibblies.......

Rock oysters & Avruga caviar

Scottish Salmon

If I had to paint a picture of heaven, well all of this would be included....

What I am missing right about now (....from the states)

1. Margaritas! I mean really good ones, made with fresh fruit and quality tequila. Admittedly, I also miss the really cheap, extremely alcoholic, pint sized ones that I used to share with friends after work in Portland where you only needed one to provide devilish inspiration or an excuse to make out with a stranger. And of course, really good Mexican food.

2. Halloween. October has always been my favorite time of year, ever since I was a child. Planning my costume and trick or treating was way more exciting to me than anything received at Christmas, especially when you figured out which neighbor had the good candy and didn't give you apples! It's slowly catching on here, but the only one who comes knocking on your door is the guy checking whether or not you have a tv license.

3. 30 Rock, and other tv shows that I get to see about a year later.

4. Sushi. Really good, cheap sushi. Specifically, Mio Sushi.

5. Nordstrom Rack (or the ability to find good, quality shoes for less than £90).

6. Proximity to NewYork and New Orleans.

 7. Buttermilk cornbread. I have yet to easily find cornmeal here. Or buttermilk.

 8. My friends! I have been fortunate enough to see quite a number of my dearest friends here. I have realized that the world is a much smaller place than I ever imagined it to be, and those that mean the most to you will find you no matter where you end up.

9. Pumpkin spiced lattes.

The Brass Rail Salt Beef Restaurant (missing NYC....)

michealisboyd.com

 ...admittedly, my pastrami sandwich on fresh, soft rye bread was pretty tasty. Not fully comparable to the behemoth sandwiches in nyc, but a nice treat after scouring the sales racks at Selfridges.

Wonderbar at Selfridges

I stopped by for after dinner wine & dessert with my dear friend Helena to the Wonderbar at Selfridges. London has many amazing department stores, Selfridges being one of my favorite! Any place where you can sip Bollinger champagne, visit the Psychic Sisters for a psychic reading and buy a leather Tory Burch bag to go with Alexander McQueen couture all on my lunch hour does indeed = happiest place on earth.

courtesty of decanter.com as my photos are not this good!

We paired yummy scorched cocoa almonds from Selfridges designer chocolate department....

...with a 10 year ruby port for Helena and a 2004 Hungarian Tokaj for me (served in a large glass no less!)

...note:  drinking this Tokaj will somehow justify any post imbibing purchases. You have been warned!