Celia Brooks Food Tour

Last weekend I went on a food tour around the Belgravia and South Kensington area, with a chef/author Celia Brooks the tour started in a chocolate shop called Rococo which some very tasty chocolates. 

Over the road, the second stop was a cheese shop for a short cheese tasting. I did think about getting one cheese but s I am away next week, didn't seem like a good plan however tasty.

Lunch was at a Lebanese restaurant and then to Harrods food hall for a quick trip around and to pick up some macaroons. The food hall is very impressive but after seeing some the prices I wasn't so impressed. £5 for a punt of Strawberries. Insane. 

Harrods macaroons.

They do impressive cakes

Only for the rich

 The last stop was wine tasting. The shop was very cool with a lot of variety.

And they cater to some very rich clients apparently.  This Cristal is worth over £8000. I dared not get any closer, but the feet give some perspective.

After we grabs some bottles and went to a cook shop for a drink and chat. I was very restrained and did not purchase any cooking gadgets. (I refused too look - my kitchen is way too small for anything else and I am saving the last little bit of room for a blender.)

The tour came with some discounts at the shops so I got some chocolate and some gin. They didn't have the one I have been looking for but this one was intriguing. 

new bottle in my gin collection.

Buckingham Palace

Last weekend I got a ticket to visit Buckingham Palace (the gallery, mews and state rooms). I got there a bit early (you have timed entry) so stopped for a cup of tea and something to eat. It turned out to be the most expensive cup and tea and biscuits I have ever had. And the biscuits weren't even very big!

The gallery is nice but I am just not that into historical art. Especially as I had no idea why I was looking at Venetian art at an English palace.

Some of the sketches of the theatre parts were interesting.

You are supposed to spend about 1 hr 15 mins around the gallery. I was bored within 10 mins. Though it took another 5 mins to find the way out.

The next stop was the Royal Mews. Which apparently doesn't actually house any horses. There are the carriages, though they all looked the same to me and the numbers on the information had no relation to the numbers on the audio guide. 

The only one with real information was the jubilee carriage. From what I can gather, most of it is made from old material but is newly built.

Jubilee carriage.

Distinct lack of horses

The only horses were plastic!

The main carriage (the name I forgot) was very dramatic, and I think used for the coronations.

A lot of gold leaf.

Neptune.

I managed to spend about 20 mins there before I ran out of things to do and had a while before my next entry so went for lunch before the state rooms. 

On entry they had 3 metal detector to get about 250 people through every 15 minutes. So chaos. 

Once I got in, it was better. You can't take any photos inside, but it was the only bit worth seeing. Though I would have liked some more information about what was going on. 

From the gardens.

Overall it was a giant disappointment. Windsor was so much better, with more information and much better organisation. 

Through the garden on the way.

The day was not helped by mass chaos at the tube so it took me ages to get home on the overground. Hoping this weekend will be better. I'm back in the centre of London but this time on a food tour. :)

Preston

I spent this weekend up in Preston, visiting Katherine, Philip and the gorgeous little Joseph who is growing up way too quickly. On Saturday, when Philip was at the cricket, the rest of us went to a pottery place in Walton-le-Dale where you can paint your own pottery. It was brilliant. If I was back up there, I would do this every week!

Happy faces.

"More!" paint required

Sticking his tongue out at me.

You can choose your own pottery and colours. I choose a reindeer tea light holder (ready for my christmas decorations) and Katherine choose a super cure giraffe. I will post another picture of the final thing when I get it (Katherine will have to post it down as they need to fire it).

My "masterpiece"

Katherine painting the cutest giraffe

After the pottery (and a bit of clean-up) we had lunch and headed to Worden Park. Joseph fell asleep in the car and didn't wake up when Katherine put him in his buggy. He just assumed a pose and carried in sleeping.

Tough life

 We walked around the gardens and did a bit of shopping (more christmas presents sorted).

300 yr old Cedar of Lebanon 

We decided not to go in the maze (I am really not a fan as I hate being lost) so carried on to the woods (and got lost there instead). 

Super roots.

Joseph finally woke up and helped us in our walk, pointing all the things we might have otherwise missed. :)

Shy

Tickles

 The long walk was rewarded with an ice-cream, happily received by all.

Ice-cream 

Enjoying life

 Then off to the playground.

Hiding 

Playing shop 

Woohoo!

Sadly we stayed too long on the playground and missed the train (it finished for the day) so headed back and enjoyed watching Despicable Me and playing.
The adults chilled out that night with pasta, wine and a movie.
Today, the weather was not so good. So we did a bit of shopping in Preston and checked out the new places and developments before I had to get the train home.