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

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!

Can I really....

....pair Heston's Salted Caramel Popcorn Ice cream with a 2010 Oldenburg Stellenbosch Chardonnay? Well beggars can't be choosers on a rainy Saturday afternoon when any inclination to leave the flat is elusive!

Now I wonder what to pair his Mustard Ice Cream with....?

Dinner at the Montagu Arms

Admittedly, any chance I get to leave London I usually leave England. But this time we ventured approximately 2 hours south to the southern coast of England. The highlight was indulging in the tasting menu at the Michelin starred restaurant at The Montagu Arms. Highly recommended for a weekend mini-break a la Bridget Jones!

the most amazing duck I have ever had!

My tempestous love affair with London pt. 2

...what I love about London continued.....

9. Parks on sunny days! I'm lucky to live in a city that has over 10,000 acres of park space, and even luckier to work right next to Hyde Park. It is convenient for a quick mid day getaway from the office or wine tasting with friends on the weekends.Yes, this is England! Consumption of wine in public places is compulsory! 

10. Working in the UK (i.e. more vacation time than I know what to do with!) I admit, I am now well accustomed to the plethora of vacation time I receive as an employee in the UK. No probationary periods, and no such thing as a "sick time" allowance. The days are all mine!



La Plage de Calvi by Roger Broders France

11. Cursing! It's everywhere and the British have turned it into an artform. On the telly, on the tube, in the workplace, and even heard out of the mouths of babes. If my mother wasn't reading this, I'd share some of my favorites.

Shoreditch Top 5 (i.e. hipsterhood in East London)

1. The Boundary. With a comprehensive and reasonably priced wine list in the basement bar (about 80 wines for under £35 offered from a list of 500) and even more friendly and knowledgeable sommeliers, it's divine! Along with a lovely rooftop view for a romantic drink, to brunch at the Albion cafe - it's one of my favorite places in London.