The Jamie Oliver Cookery School

I've been missing London so much.  Surrey is lovely but I haven't yet found my groove here.  When we received an invitation from The Jamie Oliver Cookery School in Shepherd's Bush, we jumped at the chance for a date night in London.  The Cookery School is located at the Jamie's Italian Restaurant in the Westfield Mall.  So we jumped on the train and made our way into London for the evening. 

The Savannah Bar & Restaurant London

Oh, how the days are flying by.  It's funny how the grass is always greener.  When I was working I just wanted to be at home.  Now that I'm home every day, I can't wait to get back to work.  Unfortunately, now that we're outside of London, getting out and about is a bit more difficult.  (I'm still working on that UK Drivers License and making slow progress.)  I was whining on Facebook that I'm going a bit stir crazy.  My friend Fiona from London Unattached invited me to join her for lunch in London at The Savannah Bar & Restaurant.  It was the perfect reason to get out of the house and back into London. 

Art Deco in Bloosmbury Tour with London Unravelled

We've been living in London for four years now.  Lately we've been in a bit of a rut, work and home.  It's easy to forget all the wonderful things that we love about this city.   As we go into our 5th year we made a decision to see London with new eyes.  We have a blackboard and we keep it full of things we still want to do in London.  We're always coming up with new items for that list.  A walking tour is still one of my favorite ways to explore London.  I've been on several and I always find treasures along the way. My most recent walking tour was with the wonderful Yannick of London Unravelled. 

Leicester House in London

There's this particular London PR firm that occasionally invites me to a blogger's table to review a restaurant.  I never say no to their invites because I know I'm going to be treated to a wonderful meal and great company.  They introduced me to both Gaylord London and Le Garrick.  They've also helped this picky eater get completely out of my comfort zone and try some wonderful dishes that I've always been afraid to try.  My most recent invite was to try some French Vietnamese cuisine at Leicester House. 

Southern Comfort launches Blood Orange

Being a Southern (US) girl, I grew up on Southern Comfort.  Well, of course, I didn't drink it until I was of legal age (Drink Responsibly) but it's a very familiar bottle in the bar line up of any proper Southern bar or drinks cabinet. Southern Comfort was created in a New Orleans bar in 1874 by bartender M.W. Heron.  It's the perfect blend of neutral spirits with fruits, spices and whiskey flavoring. 

This year Southern Comfort launched their first ever Travel Retail Exclusive, Blood Orange Comfort.   Hey, I travel.  I enjoy Retail and Exclusives!  They offered me a bottle to try out and as they say in the South, "Momma didn't raise no fool."  Yes, please.

Afternoon Tea & Sightseeing with Thistle London

Last year I wrote about an amazing date night that Matt and I had here in London that included a stay at the Thistle Marble Arch.  It's a favorite London hotel and I particularly loved the complimentary lounge.   Nibbles and bubbles just for me?  Yes, please.  

This summer Thistle Hotels invited me to join them for again for a special treat. 

A French Dinner Party - Le Garrick

About a month ago, my friends Charles and Dominika invited me to the southwest region of France for a dinner party.  A large group of us gathered around the family table as dish after dish of rustic, authentic French food was put before us.  Charles explained that we had his wonderful mother to thank for these flavors and combinations.   She's taught him everything he knows about French cuisine and that special French way of celebrating food and life. Each ingredient had a story, every dish more special than the last.  The wine flowed and the hours passed in that intimate and charming way than can only happen around a dinner table.   

An Indian Feast at Gaylord London

Can you believe that my first experience with Indian food was just three years ago when I moved to London?  Up until then I'd never had Indian food.  Now I can't imagine a week going by with at least one curry night. Britain has a long standing love affair with Indian food dating back to their colonial relationship with the subcontinent.  Curry is as popular as fish & chips in the UK.  There are 9,500 Indian restaurants for the UK population of 64 million.  (Half of those are in London).  Compare that to 8,000 for the US population of 314 million and most Americans are missing out on some spicy special food.  

My tips for visiting the Tower of London

Like anyone who's lived in London for a few years I have my own list of things you Must Do if you're visiting.  You should do a walking tour, visit a museum and a park, take a boat trip down the Thames, check out the views from on high at the Shard or London Eye, enjoy afternoon tea, see a show in the West End, visit a market and walk the South Bank.  

Also on that list is the number 1 tourist attraction in London.  Many people will suggest that you avoid the tourist spots and focus on seeing the "real" London.  But, tourist spots are tourist spots for a reason and the Tower of London is the epicenter of London and British history, it is real London. 

#ILoveBumpkin

Oh, how I needed today.  After a rough week and the cancellation of our annual Christmas Market trip, Matt found the perfect way to cheer me up...  brunch and a walk on a gorgeous, crisp London day.  I'm feeling so much better.  

I realize that hashtag blessed has become a bit of a cliche, but I am feeling blessed.  I have the sweetest friends.  They've done so much to lift me up... cards, flowers, messages, skype dates, links to hot-guys-in-kilts.  I had a good consult with a doctor yesterday and feel good about our plan of action.  Jessica and my family have been solidly there for me even though they are so far away.  And I've received so much encouragement and kindness from amazing people that I've connected with through this blog and social media.  I'm a very lucky (and appreciative) girl.

London was just showing off today, all blue sky, twinkle lights and festive music.  I went a bit overboard on Instagram, but I just couldn't resist.  We started our day with brunch at Bumpkin South Kensington.  I realize I might have a biased opinion as Matt works for the company, but it was so good.  The granola with yogurt and honey was ridiculous.

Bumpkin was nice enough to let me host another Blogger's Table a few weeks ago.  Earlier this year a group of blogger's sampled the Bumpkin summer menu.  This time it was to celebrate the Bumpkin Autumn Menu.   

Currently, there are four Bumpkin locations in London...  Westfield, Notting Hill (where we had our last blogger's table), South Kensington and Chelsea.  Chelsea was the location of our second blogger's table.  Each location has it's own feel.  The Chelsea location has undergone a recent refurb which I love.  They've brightened everything up with cheery yellow floors and the garden is my favorite.  Eating in a heated English Garden in the middle of autumn, you can't beat that. 

I'm always impressed with how they take care of us bloggers with the little touches and attention to detail.  But, that's how they take care of everyone.  They have a great team.

Ignite Group which runs Bumpkin also runs the world-class Eclipse Cocktail Bars and the famous Boujis, so you know the cocktails at Bumpkin will be top notch.  Check out what Frankie from The Mayfairy had to say about the night and the drinks here.   The Plum Pudding Martini was the stand out.

Bumpkin is the best of seasonal British fare and the cold weather menu is hearty and  delicious.   Here are the starters we had to chose from.  

Soup of the Day

Crayfish Cocktail, Virgin Mary dressing

Pan Seared Scallops, cauliflower Cream

Dressed Cornish Crab, English caviar, toast

Sloe Gin Salmon, English caviar, cucumber

Truckle Cheddar Cheese Pasty, salad

Game Terrine, honey poached cranberries

BBQ Baby Pork Ribs

Roast Squash, poached quail eggs, foraged mushrooms tender stem broccoli

Being a Texas girl, of course I couldn't resist the ribs which fell right off of the bone.  Next time I want to try the cheese pasty.  Matt says it's a gooey, cheesy wonder.

Manasi from In Her 30's declared the scallops the best she's EVER had.  The secret ingredient is a hint of white chocolate.  You can read her review of our dinner here. 

Then it was time to move on to our mains.  This menu is so very British. 

Bumpkin Ale Battered Fish & Chips

Salmon Wellington

Roasted Monkfish, mussels, light curry cream sauce

Dry Aged Charolais Steak & Bumpkin Ale Pie, mashed potato

Aberdeen Angus Burger, triple cooked chips

Roast Pheasant, skirlie, Bury black pudding

Roast Chicken to Share, stuffing, chipolatas, chestnut mushrooms, hazelnuts

Highland Venison, Savoy cabbage, crispy bacon, game chips

Slow Cooked Pork Belly, poached Granny Smith

28 Dry Aged Ribeye Steak, chips

Ox Cheek Hot Pot, aged fillet, chervil roots, spinach

Pearl Barley Risotto, foraged mushrooms, roasted chervil roots

Line Caught Seabass, caper & anchovy nut butter, samphire
 

I had the Salmon Wellington and could barely finish it, but it was so good.  Amanda from Rhyme & Ribbons raved about the venison.  Be sure to check out her review and see how the private dining room was decorated for Halloween. 

We shared a few sides and I agree with Mina.  The Mac & Cheese was my favorite.

Read her take from King's Road Rocks! here.

Triple Cooked Chips

Buttered Mash

Macaroni Cheese

Seasonal Garden Salad

Buttered Black Cabbage

After all of that you would think we would be full and we were.  But, then this selection was presented to us. 

Bitter Chocolate Tart, salted peanut crumble, caramel mousse

Baked Nutmeg Vanilla Custard, marshmallow snowball

Warm Vanilla Sponge, gooseberry jam, almond ice cream

Buttermilk Rice Pudding, honeycomb crumble

Selection of Ice Cream & Sorbet

Sticky Toffee Pudding, vanilla ice cream

Selection of Cheeses, chutney, biscuits 

It was another impressive and fulfilling meal at Bumpkin.  Roger is the manager at Bumpkin Chelsea and made sure everything was perfect for us.  He was also busy with a private party that evening so Nick, the manager from Notting Hill came over to look after us.  You'll remember him from the perfect wine pairings for each and every course at our last blogger's table.  He worked his magic once again suggesting the perfect wine for each course. 

They sent us home happy and full, dreaming of sugar plums and carrying marshmallows.  Elizabeth from The Mayfair Office Girl shared hers with a special furry friend.  You can read her review here.  

Thanks so much to the team at Bumpkin and the lovely bloggers that joined me for a lovely dinner.  Follow this link to read more about Bumpkin Christmas, Sunday Brunch, and the Seasonal Menu. 

Are you hungry now?  Can I take your order?

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I was a guest of Bumpkin for the purposes of review.
All photos (except where noted), writing and opinions are my own.   
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers. 
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.  
 

Back to the Future

In my last post, I told you about my five favorite cities.

Today I'm going to tell you about one of my top three evenings in London.
It was all thanks to East Village London.

Secret Cinema's showing of Back to the Future created such a buzz in London.
All of the hype was so well-deserved!  It was the most incredible experience.

Matt wasn't able to go but my friend Erin was happy to join in the fun.
Of course, we were not going to turn down the opportunity to play dress up
complete with victory rolls and red lipstick.

You'll have to excuse the quality of the photos.

As this was a top secret experience, no cameras or cell phones were allowed.

Luckily, they were selling disposable cameras!  It's probably a good thing

I wasn't lugging around my DSLR as I was able to really enjoy the event.

The movie Back to the Future was the perfect choice and it was exactly like traveling back in time.

Once we entered we walked through the  American suburb of Hill Valley, popping into to the various houses all fully furnished with vintage delights.

We even visited with with "Doc" to talk about time travel.
All around us peaople were acting out various scenes complete with American accents.  You never knew when some one was going go running by or a fight would break out.  It was spectacular.

We took a right by the old Texaco gas station and arrived at the town square complete with the old Clock Tower.

The square was surrounded by shops, diners, a travel agent and a bank.  Erin was serenaded by a gentleman with a ukelele.  Everything was authentic and absolute kitschy fun.  The high school dance was in full swing in the

high school gym straight from the movie.

We spent some time just exploring and regularly gushing about the awesomeness of it all.

You can imagine my delight when I discovered the diner was serving iced tea! (with gin)

There was even an 80's bar tucked away.  Soon it was time to settle onto our checked blanket to watch the movie.

It was projected onto the clock tower.

But this was certainly not the end of all of the drama and fun.  A live 50's band played, actual cars and skateboarders raced around the square!  As the scenes were playing out on the giant screen, the action was also being acted out in real time complete with pyrotechnics and stunts. And, of course, the time traveling DeLorean!

From start to finish it was one of the most incredible and fun experiences I've had.
I felt like a kid again...pure delight and complete fun!
I'm so impressed with what they were able to pull off with this event.
I don't want to miss what they come up with next year.

A huge thank you to East Village London for inviting me!

When the Olympics were here two years ago, apartments were built to house all of the athletes. Those apartments are now available for lease and a whole community has built up around them.

Before walking over to the venue, we had cocktails and munchies in one of the apartments.
It was modern and spacious. The setting is special, too.  Not what you usually get in London, a neighborhood with plenty of room and green space. 

I'm truly impressed with how the area developed for the Olympics is now becoming one of London's nicest communities.

via East Village London

via East Village London

via East Village London

via East Village London

via East Village London

Here's a video they've put together to introduce you to London's newest neighborhoods.


Have you revisited the East Village London and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park since 2012?

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I was a guest of East Village London for the Secret Cinema event.
All photos (except where noted), writing and opinions are my own.   
As always, I promise to be open, honest and transparent with my readers. 
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.