Morning

Yesterday. Did not want to get out of bed. This is the case for many mornings in London.







Today. Woke up in darkness but soon the kitchen was flooded with morning sunlight. Bliss with creamy porridge.

Cream Tea with everything

"To the Albion" I bellow! Yes, I am about 4 years behind on this, but having walked past this heaving corner haven on Redchurch Street countless times, all I saw was somewhere I deemed as pretentious, overpriced and catering from the modern gentry of the new East. Sausage and mash? Not for moi. How wrong I was.
Readers, it's all about afternoon tea and cake. One of my many gastronomical indulgences, it's a ritual I've grown up with, and tended to happen most on grim winter weekends. My parents always favoured freshly-brewed Asam or Darjeeling, accompanied by something dry and sticky like fruit cake. There is never any guilt in suggesting something similar when I gather with my family. The Albion popped to mind mainly due to proximity (although I'm aware it's just one of many divine East End eateries). Friends, go for the cream tea - a lovely selection of brews, although sadly no fresh leaves, the largest fluffiest tea cake, clotted cream, jam et all. And as this is for the very greedy, they throw in slithers of brownie, flapjack and fruit cake....wicked wicked wicked.

I walked off the calories strolling around the shop, filling up an imaginary shopping basket. Particularly delighted by Artisan Biscuits' packaging, another thing I'm a sucker for.

My next post will not involve food.

Brussels continues

More city indulgences: my birthday meal was outstanding - Le Fruit Defendu is certainly an unknown gem of a restaurant in my neighbourhood. Then it could be nowhere else but Floris and Delirium bars (for the European School reunions) but of course for it's incredibly vast selections of beers and absynthes (killers). Yes, they even sell Duff beer. I have no idea what it's like.

prettige nieuwjar

Happy 2011 from icy Brussels. Made a new discovery yesterday: Wiels Space in Midi, showing Francis Alys work, relatively interesting and quizzical in parts, I was more enchanted by the fantastic factory-like space with concrete staircases and copper cylinders. What's more the south of Brussels has a very cinematic landscape - a curious juxtaposition of 'urban haphazard' and open rail tracks and graffitied station collonades...really quite atmospheric, especially in typical grey misty with a tinge of sunlight weather.

Prior to that I had the great (p)leisure of spending a cosy day and night in Arendonk, just west of Antwerp with lovely friends. A candlelit an open-fire dinner in the lake house, lake frozen, although this time I did not attempt to stand on it, remembering last year's consequences of my chubby boot.

BREF good places, good company, good food, great sighs. Tomorrow I am a year older.