Tag: Events

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Foodie Festivals

I’m having my annual quandary about attending the programme UK summer festivals – food festivals, of course.

Approach is thus:

  1. March/April. See adverts for early bird tickets – looks really exciting, beautiful people wandering around in the sunshine sipping bubbly and loads of yummy food on offer. Decide it’s too early to know quite how rainy Summer will be. Wait.
  2. May/ June. See promotions on food magazine sites for this summer’s events. Check out event site and ticket prices – too many options to choose from and which day to go??
  3. Talk myself out of going – too expensive for what you get, got to go into London for it, if it rains it’ll be a total waste.

Problem is, it costs me £25 just to get the train to London, then the entry tickets are about £20 so I’ve already spent £45 just to get there. Then the food (in tapas sized portions) are up to £7 a pop and drinks are on top of that. There are some fantastic restaurants, and some Michelin star chefs, involved but there must be a better way to do it ‽

There’s the usual trawl around Borough Market sampling, and occasionally buying, interesting nibbles but what else? Street Feast London has been on my to-do list for a while, but it’s way over in Dalston and only opens at 7pm.

The answer may lie with Kerb Food (formerly known as Eat.st) as they seem to have some of the same traders as Street Feast, but with more central locations and they start at lunchtime. Oooh, the possibilities 🙂 

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London – Part 1

Wow, yesterday was a big old day. Up and into town on first (off-peak) train of the morning. Camera went flat on train so got no photos all day! Hopped on Jubilee line from Waterloo to London Bridge and spent a very pleasant hour moseying around Borough Market with a take away from Monmouth Coffee.

Enjoyed lots of charcuterie and cheese samples, and bought some to bring home.

Back on Jubilee line to North Greenwich. Passed Boris in the station, as you so, and headed to the Meridian Line. Went into the O2 and gapped at the inside of the structure. Grabbed a quick lunch at GBK – Paleo friendly bun-less burgers. Good stuff.

Back outside into the sunshine and onto the Emirates Skyline cable car across the Thames. Saw it a few weeks back when I was in town for work and thought, must try that. 1 word : AWESOME!!!!

 

Hubby got lots of iPhone pics as we flew over to the Queen Victoria Docks. At the other end, well there’s not that much. ExCeL has come a long way since I last had an event there and there are a couple of hotels but it’s the City Airport and island area that has been hugely regenerated. New houses, little shops, nice riverside walk areas. Can’t say I’d move there as it’s a heck of a long way out, as our DLR journey back to Tower Gateway proved, but for people who work in Canary Wharf it could be pretty nice.

Took the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) as hubby hadn’t been on before, and got to see a lot of the area. Some not so pretty, but better than being underground on a hot day. Thought it would be good to take the underground to St James park instead of walking, but big mistake on stuffy tube train. Popped up to ground level and strolled in the shade along the park to Buckingham Palace. Moment of patriotic pride at how good the place looked with the flags out. Snooty snigger at tourists filming nothing thru the gate with iPads. Why?! Do you really think HRH is going to wander out into the yard with the corgis? Is Philip going to bring out the bins in his dressing gown?? Dodged through the Hoy ploy and got back on the road to Belgravia. Then remembered we didn’t want to go to Belgravia at all and actually needed to head back to Piccadilly Circus. Sigh. So at 4pm on a Friday afternoon in tourist season we took the tube to Piccadilly just to go to Whole Foods. Never disappoints. If we lived nearer one of these stores, we’d go broke bloody quick! Ducked through some side streets to a quiet Pret a Manger for restorative caffeine and water, and aircon, to plan our evening……..  

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A Grand Day Out

Just a quick post this morning as we’re off London today.

Route has been carefully planned to take in Borough Market, Ottolenghi and a pop up Street Food venue – seeing a theme? 😉

Going to eat until my tummy goes pop!

 

Pics and updates later if I can still move 🙂

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4th July!

For many, 4th July involves flag-cake and family time. For me – it’s my wedding anniversary! 🙂

Thank you to my wonderful husband of 5 years. It’s not always been easy but you make me smile, even when I don’t want to, and I can’t imagine life without you. (who would bring my tea?!).

Love you madly – mwah x