Well, from my silence you can imagine I’ve been busy, you’d hope, since my last post was back in November. Christmas was insane, no surprise working in the hospitality trade, and January turned into a month’s worth of drawn out celebrations for my birthday. A South West London holiday some might call it. With a few Welshies glazing the surface.
I managed to get spoilt royally, and following an awesome NYE with the besties at the Ship in Wandsworth, we spent New Year’s Day hiding from the torrential outdoors in our snugglies, with Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer depicting how true romance ought to play out. Following a three hour wait for a much needed Dominoes, I retired to bed, ready for my first day back at work and plotting the following week’s birthday shenanigans.
On the day itself I treated the girls to my signature dish; Thai green curry, washed down with one of my favourite wines; Mission Estate Riesling. A much deserved homely night in, as sandwiched between two massive party weekends.
Two days later and we were in Brixton Village, gorging on a ridiculous array of French cheese and sausage, and of course an oven baked camembert with truffle (served by a ridiculously delicious French waiter). Champagne and Fromage was a present in itself, and to share it with such special friends, made it the perfect meal. Without any actual meal elements. That’s how we roll. Blushing on departure, we headed over to the Academy, to bop (do people bop?), shimmy and stare in unified awe at Matthew Healy and his band, also know as the modern day Kooks, or the 1975 if you choose not to understand my made up string of wording. 
They were brilliant and I didn’t want it to end. High-light for me when Matt took to the stage solo, with a grand piano, pale blue spotlight and sang my favourite hauntingly beautiful ‘Is there someone who can watch you’. I froze with the moment.
Buzzing from an evening we’ll never forget, our focus turned towards the weekend. The arrival of my Welsh girls. And their boyfriends. We were being invaded. A houseful of favourites. It had to be my birthday. With corks popping all over the place, and umpteenth glasses of bubbles passed round, we giggled as we rocked out the obligatory birthday game of ring of fire, and then herded our guests over to Antic’s latest opening in Balham; Hagen and Hyde. John and Fiachra, of Marner Brown fame, were on stage and friends from various stations were getting in the spirit. One Welsh boyfriend, fast asleep in the corner. Peaked. So spoilt with such an amazing bunch of life-long pals, I had the best evening, and the Sunday struggle wasn’t so hard, with such people to struggle through it with me.
By now, I imagine I look pretty spoilt, and then I mention my trip the following week to the Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House. With pre and mid show champers in the Balcony Bar, I returned to my ballet focused youth, and sighed at the people who had successfully forged their career out of the art. A beautiful festive production to see out the best time of year.
Then came the start of the 6 Nations, and a visit from a dear netball uni pal, where we decided to check out the Orange Public House and Hotel in Pimlico, for a stunning Lamb Shank, and pistachio dessert before heading to watch the games in Notting Hill.
The following week, stand out restaurant of choice was 32 Great Queen Street for a work catch-up, where the lemon sole was incredible, with pickled greens and homemade ginger beer. It felt quaint, and homely, while being hidden slap bang in the middle of Holburn/ Covent Garden. A sister branch of the Anchor and Hope in Waterloo, a special memory of mine from years gone by.
Later that day I was super lucky to be invited to a supplier dinner at one of my locals, the Grove in Balham, where Aspall had paired an innovative menu to a preferred product from their premium cyder range.
That weekend I managed to party it up in Soho, quite by accident, following an ‘I’ll just have one’ meeting about a fifteenth century Ox event we’re due to run at the end of next month. Yes the Ox will be fed on 150 bottles of Wells and Young’s London Stout. Yes it’s ethical. Yes it’ll be massive (blog will follow on this I’m sure). We managed the Dog and Duck, Coach and Horses, newby from Russell Norman the Ape and Bird and finished up at Soho Kitchen and Bar. Or so I thought until I saw the Chinese receipt in my purse the next morning. Ooops. I blame the Director of Flat Iron and Oisin Rogers.
A rather subdued Saturday ensued, and a poor performance from the hot men in red in the rugger, so I headed over to support my event team at the Leather Bottle in Earlsfield, where an Après Ski party was in full flow. International Naughty Boy, a 7 piece Après ski band belted out some insane covers of tunes you wouldn’t expect, and we sank a jager or two in true slope style.
Sunday the original besty came for lunch, and following again a not-so-meal-like lunch of cheese (Borough Market so judgement over) and crackers, we took on the London Transport system to make it over to the 80s Club to Catwalk exhibition at the V&A Museum. Giggling at our own, obviously, hilarious one-liners we took in the fashions with memory and amusement, before bumbling into many other exhibitions and installations. We tied up an awesome afternoon of quality time in Knightsbridge, with a stunning Italian at Montpeliano.
Then this week saw my weekly instalment of zen, at Lindsay Jay’s yoga class, chaos from unhelped early maternity leave for a colleague at work, and a perfect Valentine’s eve at Bentos in Balham, my new favourite Asian Restaurant. I opted for the Peking Dumplings and Beef Pad Thai and vowed to make this my common hangout.
Today you find me verbally vomiting my words in the stunning new fairytale offering from Drake and Morgan; the Fable near St Paul’s in the City. Not even open a week, the offering is clever, the drinks list superior, and my cocktail ‘Princess in a Tower’; divine. Champagne with violet and peach bitters (like drinking champers through a mouth full of Parma Violets). With Fuertabruta at the Roundhouse tonight, I’m sure you’re going to hear a lot more from me..
Hope you’re having a lovely weekend x
Whose Boots Are Those Shoes? 