London Calling

Oh, London!


I'd never really been a huge fan of yours. You seemed too big, too loud, too busy. Full to the brim with people, with too little space to accommodate them all.

Last weekend you won me over.

From the moment I arrived at Euston until the moment I stumbled back onto the train, tipsy from gin and tonics drunk by the canal, I don't think I stopped smiling.

Reasons I love you:

Frozen yoghurt shops (I confess, they reminded me of time spent in New York)
EAT on every corner. Ever since I stopped working in Manchester I have so missed the Ham and Jarlsberg baguette joy. Although it's not very Slimming World friendly so maybe that's for the best.
The Wellcome Collection. I loved it. With all my (slightly weird) heart.
Macarons. PAUL, Laduree, Fortnum & Mason. I tried them all. I loved them all. I think Laduree just edged it, although that may have had something to do with the sparkling company.
Walking along the South Bank in the sun.
Greek food by the Thames, with a view of St Paul's Cathedral, with some more sparkling company.
Plus lots of gin, lots more lovely company and lots of cakes. Oops.

London, you've stolen a piece of my heart.

I'll be back soon, you can count on that.

Helen xxx

Tea time

Is there anything more gloriously British than a nice cup of tea?


Earl Grey, Lady Grey, English breakfast, peppermint, green tea with mint. Ah, I love them all... and so many more.

Tea saves the day.

Had a shock? Have a cup of tea.
Had some bad news? Have a cup of tea.
Feeling thirsty? Have a cup of tea (it's refreshing, apparently).

The water at work has been shut off for the last two days due to some builders making lots of noise and doing some work on the pipes (I just saw them drinking a lot of tea. Ironic, given that I COULDN'T). It eventually got turned back on at about 3.30 this afternoon.

What was the first thing we did? Dash to the toilets to flush them repeatedly and cackle maniacally? Douse ourselves in gallons of water, just because we could? Indulge in a water fight?

No. We put the kettle on and made a brew.


Sometimes I really love being British.

London, baby

London tales to follow. 


Once I've stopped weeping into my macaroon-less Northern life.

Plane plane go away

Does anyone else kind of miss the ash of doom?


I know it caused problems for thousands of people and, of course, I have huge amounts of sympathy for those who were (and those who still are) stranded by the volcanic ash cloud. Those whose holidays were ruined or cancelled or extended when they really couldn't afford for them to be.

But I miss the clear blue skies. Deep, unbroken blue.

The peace and quiet in my garden on a Saturday afternoon.

The sheer bizarreness of a volcano causing so many problems in this technologically advanced world.

When the planes began flying again (Thursday, was it?) it was a strange sight. When I saw my first I felt like one of The Others on the Lost island. It seemed odd that there was something in the sky, other than birds or clouds.

It's strange how soon you can adapt to change, how soon you can adapt to something being missing. Or, in other cases, never adapt at all. I've been feeling a little melancholy this week and I've been unable to put my finger on the reason why. Then, driving home last night, a song triggered something in my mind and I realised... sometimes, just sometimes, I can't help but wish that he was by my side.

When will I adapt to that absence?

LDN

Source

I'm off to the big smoke on Sunday...


... and I'm tremendously excited!

I haven't paid a proper visit to the capital of this fair isle for years. I don't think last year's fleeting plinth vist counts as a 'proper visit', as fantastic (and surreal) as it was, so I'm hoping to actually see a little bit more of the city this time and actually do some things that I've never done before.

Numbers 13-17 from The Big 50 will hopefully be crossed off (is it wrong that the thing I'm most looking forward to is a Laduree macaroon?) and I'd also like to go to the V&A if I get time. In amongst all my sightseeing I shall be meeting up with various people, including a couple of my favourite blogging/tweeting lovelies. Super excited about that.

Does anyone have any other suggestions/recommendations for things to do/eat/drink whilst I'm darn sarf?