Cuisine Culture

Today, I am feeling a little bit lardy. I am sat on a train and have just scoffed a homemade chocolate and peanut butter chip (courtesy of friends in Canada) brownie washed down with a cup of coffee. This wouldn’t be so bad if I hadn’t spent the last few days taking advantage of London’s gastronomic delights – and the special offers that went with it.
On Thursday I met a friend after work in Trafalgar Square. We went to the BP Portrait Award at the National Portrait Gallery and spent an hour musing over the shortlist and trying to avoid the loud guide who managed to take up half the gallery with his posse hanging off every pretentious word he said. Being very much of the opinion that you should make your own mind up about art, I managed to ignore his blah and enjoyed wondering what the story of each sitter was. I think that is what I love about portraits, the combination of art in its various guises and real people.
Afterwards we went to Strada. I had one of my wonderful vouchers so we enjoyed two main courses for a tenner. We skipped starters, ordered the cheapest bottle of rose they had and both devoured a humongous pizza, which together barely fit on the table. I didn’t feel too guilty – I had finished work early and enjoyed a stroll along the Thames beforehand, which must have made some impact on the damage. I hoped.
In Friday I had the day off and chilled out at home before heading off to the pub. Two pints and a couple of Jack Daniels and cokes later, there was only thing for it: chips. In fact, a chip butty. Followed by Doritos. Oops.
So, Saturday morning I got up and headed for the gym. Feeling quite smug, I felt guilt-free when I headed out with Him Indoors to South Kensington. We stopped off at the legendary Hummingbird Bakery where I enjoyed a chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting. Yum. We then pottered over to the Natural History Museum to see The Deep Exhibition. After looking at lots of weird and wonderful fish for an hour or so, Him Indoors was getting peckish. After a quick mooch down the High Street and Him Indoors licking the windows of the Lamborghini garage for half an hour, we headed to Carluccio’s for dinner. This time I had a voucher for a free bottle of wine and tucked into some olives and Focaccia bread before moving on to venison tortellini. Delish! Unfortunately they had run out of the special dessert, fig ice cream, so I ordered a Bicerin – thick Florentine hot chocolate served with espresso and milk to mix to your taste. A pudding in itself.
So, as I head down to Brighton for a couple of days of traditional seaside summer, I am bracing myself for chips on the beach, a 99 on the pier washed down with several pints of something refreshing.
I’ll see you in the gym on Tuesday night.