Memory lane

I remember when this happened in my living room three years ago. We are leaving London in less than three weeks, I can't believe how long and quick the wait has been. I am impatient and ecstatic to be leaving but I still have so much love for London and what it brought me - including a best friend and husband in Tom. This has been the best years of my life so far, I'll leave with amazing memories and more confidence in life and myself than I've ever dreamt of. The next three years are going to be even better and there is so much I want to do.

Happy Bank Holiday

South Ealing cemetery.
Home made burger and garlic and herbs courgette chips. Pear cider.
Sun.

Gone Caving - Song of the day #16

The Cave Club at the Buffalo bar, hosted by Rhys Webb from The Horrors, is one of my favourite night out in London. I've been going there since I moved over here in 2010. It's every third Saturday of the month, except when they are touring or recording but I'll let you count how many times I've roughly been there. A few, I've lost track. I highly recommend it if you like psychedelic, underground 60's music and dressing up.

This was playing last night:

The Seeds - The Wind Blows Your Hair

Bob Bob Ricard

I read about Bob Bob Ricard restaurant on a blog, flicking through the Internet one day. I was instantly charmed by the Art Deco interiors and started to fantasise about being able to eat there. I showed it to Tom who said we could go one day if I really wanted to, it is quite pricey but still affordable for a one time experience. We forgot a bit about it for a couple months then toyed with the idea, almost did it one weekend but it was fully booked. And finally, last Thursday, Tom emailed me at work and asked if I wanted to go on the weekend. 15 minutes later it was booked for Saturday night.

We did things fully, Tom wore a suit with a tie and I, heels and red lipstick. We arrived there bright and early after a walk on Regent Street, we were greeted by someone, seated by someone else, gave the menu by a third person, offered water by a fourth and so on. We were a bit lost at first and I feared I would feel out of place but the place started to fill up with people probably more used to and wealthier than us but as amazed by the surrounding as we were. Sipping our white wine, we relaxed. Tom ordered the venison burger and I chose the Three Birds burger, quail, guinea-fowl and duck. Yes, it's the wings of the quail sticking out. Not the easiest the cut but by far the best burger I've ever eaten. The best quail as a matter of fact, and I'm biased on duck, I love duck. The portions were big and we were really full but I couldn't resist the "boozy chocolate truffles". It looks small when they arrive, specially since we could afford only one desert, but the truth is, you wouldn't eat anymore of them, they are very rich and absolutely delicious. 

It is a fancy restaurant and the bill isn't cheap at the end, but I would definitely recommend it. It's not a once a week thing, not even a once a month but it's a little pleasure that is worth its price I think. We realised all in all going to see Jack White live plus a drink would come to the same. It's just a different kind of night out. I was very tempted by the sea bass fillets and the home made ice cream. That's for next time...

Here are some photos of the room from their official website (we asked permission to take pictures of each other and the food, they were perfectly fine with it but you're not allowed to take picture of the staff, and they are everywhere!)

Apparently my eyes popped out of my head my I saw that desert on the table behind us. I still don't know which one it is but it melted and opened under the melted hot chocolate. I want it!

Wallace Collection

Ice cream coolers

Illegal picture of the poster to sell the furniture from Versailles after the French Revolution

Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta appraised by Dante and Virgil

The Wallace Collection is one of my favourite place in London. It's not a museum, but a house full of art, which means there is as much furniture as paintings and I really enjoy that. I've been there a few times but I had forgotten how big it was! The nice thing is that it's less busy than most museum so you are often alone in the room, it's free and you can take as many pictures as you like. I like that kind of places!

Sir Richard Wallace inherited an art collection for his father and expended it over the years. There is a lot of French art which can be explained by the fact that he lived in Paris. He was there during the siege by the Prussian army in 1870 and did a lot to help the city and French people. When he died, his widow gave his house to the state and it became the Wallace Collection.

I'm not a huge fan of the art there, there is a few Fragonard, a painter I really dislike and a lot of paintings of the same style that I find fairly "tacky". But there is also Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta appraised by Dante and Virgil by Ary Scheffer that I absolutely wanted to see again. Sorry for the poor quality of that picture. I like this place more for the atmosphere, the grand rooms and furniture. I also love all the armour section, specially the horses.

I would definitely recommend this place if you are in London, it's a lovely way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.