Legends of the Martini – Royal Academy of Arts, London. Belvedere’s a winner.
Hello back room in the Royal Academy. This was a fun little surprise for an hour. This idea is based around an exhibition that’s just a room with a boards on it and some kind of guessing game about martinis. Whatever. You soon spot the giant martini glass you can sit in and have your photo taken in.
We were then taken to a table and intensely taught for one hour about martini making with Belvedere Vodka. And to my surprise it was great fun. And I learned something. You get to learn to say exactly how you like your martini – shaken or stirred – what parts you like in it (forgotten already) and taste different zests. It’s only on until the end of August and as a bit of something to do in what feels like hidden London, go do it. At the end you can buy a very strong martini. If you don’t drink, then don’ go. You won’t like it. Go at night, It feels like you are at a secret London party in a museum.
Double Rainbow
Double the rainbow.
I had to share this. Probably the biggest rainbow I have seen and i was just around the corner. Made me smile during a dreary day.
Serpentine Pavillion
I wouldn’t normally post something to say don’t bother, as I like to focus on the positive, but this is how they have made the new structure look on their website. I was very excited and planned a day around it.
And this is what it looks like. And I was VERY DISAPPOINTED. Spend money better elsewhere. I know art is down to the individual but one definitely worth missing. A big paper mache mess.
Castellammare Del Golfo – Sicily part one
The port at sunset
We landed in Palermo and were driven to Castellammare Del Golfo, a place we had randomly picked at the last-minute, from a Sicily promoting website that said it had a great beach and was just simply brilliant. Well it does have a beach, the size of someone’s living room. And even though it was tempting to put a towel down it was like the idea of sunbathing topless in a London park. Just not done. It’s a very pretty port, with literally a handful of restaurants and a town behind it, that looked quite cool even though no one was present in any of the towns we drove through. Everyone for the summer seems to be working on the beach so if you want to drive through little towns at this time of year to discover a hidden world, Don’t.
A port with a view
We thought that we had made a terrible mistake but I have to say that the people in the Hotel Cala Marina that we stayed in could not have been nicer to us if they tried. All of them were genuinely warm and helpful. It’s worth mentioning that if you don’t have a car than book taxi’s ahead, as you will need them, unless you like to cycle. We are glad we didn’t do air b n b on this occasion as we would have been stuck. If you are driving the roads are really good and though mountainous they do have rails on the sides.
When they attempted to sell us the discount voucher for the restaurant next door but onem that had excellent seafood, I met their eyes with the usual traveller’s suspicion. But we were tired so we walked all of the one minute to the restaurant and sat outside staring at the parked boats. We ate and I have to say it was the best meal we had in the four days, amazing seafood and pistachio prawn pasta (which we had three more times in different restaurants in a bit of an obsessive way.)
Sunbathing in the storm.
When everyone goes on holiday they expect it to be sunny but it wasn’t. So we went to the beach and sat in the café praying that the sand storm going into our beer and tapas wasn’t actually happening. When the huge plant fell over for the third time even though they had tied it to the barrier, we did what anyone else on holiday would do. We walked to the shore, sat protected from the rain under the umbrella and carried on.
Barcelona – supermarkets and paella – discuss
We arrived and for once did not go to the main area of Las Ramblas and the Gothic District. I’ve been to Barcelona a few times before so it was time to go off piste and see what the city had to offer. We air b n b’d a great apartment in the area of Rambla del Poblenou and it was less than £100 a night for a two bedroom. I took a photo of the street name on my iphone as it was particularly difficult to pronounce. This proved a life saver when getting home in a cab.
We searched for a supermarket because everyone knows that European Supermarkets are ridiculously good and should be high on your list of important points of interest to see as soon as you land. Never has fruit tasted so good. It puts England and the States to shame when it comes to tasty fresh produce.
Things that you immediately need to buy to keep for a weekend away in spain. Chorizo, nectarines, tomatoes, tortilla, bread, emergency drunken pizza, sweet peppers in a jar, fresh anchovies, Strawberry twizzlers, milk, condensed milk to make iced coffee, coffee. Rose wine, red wine, beer. Water, fresh limes and lemons.
This photo does not do the Paella justice in Vell.
We went on the hunt for Paella and Sangria. Which isn’t hard being in Barcelona, but it had to be right. We had a gourmet Paella from what was like a local cafe looking restaurant in a place called Vell. Not the real yellow type this was a treat gently simmered in stock and tasted like it had been cooked in a top restaurant even though we were in what felt like a cafe. We had a great paella the day after which was the dirty saffron kind but once I’d had the gourmet one it was like comparing steak to a greasy kebab . Both have their own merits but are right for different times in life.
Need Meat and Malbec in Barcelona? Go Patagonia
I was too greedy to stop and take a picture of my steak so took this pointless picture of the wine instead. But it was a good wine.
We had had enough of the tapas and we needed steak. And not small bits of steak but lump sums. We saw the ribeye. It was for two, but we wanted it split in half and cooked two different ways. This was no pizza hut. Could they do it? Would they do it? It was tense for about two minutes. But the answer was positive and service swift and friendly. There was a plethora of Malbec to choose from too. We were too drunk to eat dessert. Was it the best steak I’ve ever had? No, but it was very good. And local peoples were eating in there, which is always a good sign.
Reims – Champagne Weekend in France
Cathedral in Reims
Everyone has a different version of how to say it and the one we went with sounded like ‘Rance’ as if choked from the back of the throat. I went on a coach ride, with a bunch of people I didn’t know and lets just say alcohol does wonderful things to bond strangers.
The ferry took just over an hour to get to France. I had it in my head that it was three hours, so this was bonus number one . Getting to Reims only takes another few hours. Bonus number two.
There’s a lot to be fermenting and drinking in these.
I went to visit Pomeroy which had auspicious cellars but that was about it. But then over a couple of days we saw three other independent and smaller champagne producers and that’s much more fun. They talk away about how they make it and everyone nods politely, whilst downing the first glass quickly to get the six more. No one was pausing to comment on any aromas of pear. Within the hour I and my motley crew were smashed and buying enough champagne to fill our imaginary cellars at home.
I don’t know why this is in a champagne house but maybe it represents how you feel after one too many bubbles.
You get drunk, buy champagne, store it in the coach and take it home. Some champagne did not make the coach journey back. Some places put on a lunch. Reims is also a great place to stay in. There’s not a lot to do there bar see the cathedral and drink, but apparently there’s a great Xmas Market too. This champagne weekend is the ultimate hen do waiting to happen.
Here’s a couple of places
http://www.champagne-lacourte-godbillon.com/content.asp?IDR=114273
http://www.champagne-dauby.fr/welcome_172.htm
Here’s some info.
Click to access Group-tours-in-the-Champagne,-the-Marne-BD2.pdf
How to make the ultimate melanzane alla Parmigiana
I made this and it was the ultimate in YUM. All the comments beforehand are really helpful as well.
LifeHouse Spa – I spa, you spa, we spa,
Who doesn’t like to spa? This place is near Clacton On Sea. I thought Clacton was a place of caravans and grannies. Maybe it is? I saw the county of Essex and got the fear of turning up at a spa and seeing blond supertanned supertoned Ken and Barbies. But that was not the case. First off everyone bar two spray tanners were normal. All shapes and sizes were present at that pool. Groups of women, couples, but no groups of men though. The pool was heated. The jets in the Jacuzzi could knock over a small child and probably do.
The grounds are gorgeous and serene. Everyone who works there are super friendly. The treatments are as you would expect from a spa and to a high standard. Now lets talk about the room. A King Size bed people. I don’t even think I requested it and I got it. What kind of lushness is that? And GHD’s in the room as standard? I mean where does that happen?
I was as happy as they were
Now lets talk about the food. This is no spa of a couple of bits of green beans over salmon. Oh no. You can have a 2 or three course dining menu that is better than a gastro pub. And the small choice of wines are excellent. It’s perfect turn up stressed. Have treatments and relax immediately, pig out and drink and indulge. Sleep in a King Size bed.
I went on a Bank Holiday and it was busy and I’ve got to say it wasn’t even that busy. I was so overwhelmed by spa choices but now I’ve Lifehoused I doubt I’d want to try anywhere else for a while. I can’t wait to get back there and drink Malbec.
Sanderson Hotel – Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
Cakes in Wonderland
Like Cake? Like Tea? Look at it people. Look at it. Whoever got to be the pastry chef at the Sanderson must have wept with joy when they said ‘ Let’s do Alice in Wonderland, just use your imagination.’ Every sandwich is rolled into a tube of different colours. Every cake is delicious and cleverly crafted from marshmallow toadstools to carrot shaped meringue. There are an amazing selection of teas on offer that are far from the norm but all delicious. And if you fancy it a cheeky glass of champagne can be added too.
I’ve been put off by the idea of Afternoon teas before as they can be snooty, stingy and just full of people dressed up for a cuppa for no other reason then to blankly stare at each other, wondering why they paid so much. But this one is worth it. We went as part of a baby shower and they let us lounge for a good few hours. Londoners and Tourists Unite.
Marvellous Mystery of how they got the Passion Fruit dessert in the bottle.
worldwideattitude 