A Walk in the Park

It was such a joy, yesterday, to get back to Richmond Park for a long nature-walk and some much missed hill-climbing.  The weather was a relatively balmy 7 degrees, so I did a double-take - and couldn't resist snapping a pic' - when I saw this slightly poignant scene, at Ham Gate pond.

Still mostly frozen over (your eyes are not deceiving you) there is a child's red, plastic car - calmly parked - in the centre of the iced water.  It goes a small way to show how great the impact of our extended deep freeze has been, in London's outskirts...

Somewhere over the Rainbow...

Way up high...

A stone's throw from Oxford Circus and Portland Place - in the heart of London's major shopping artery - was a curiously incongruous setting and juxtaposition (with the huge crane) for such a remarkably beautiful and vivid aspect of nature.

This was the scene early on Wednesday evening, following a very heavy afternoon shower.  The colours were remarkable, in contrast with the greyness of the sky; the photo doesn't do it justice but, happily, it brightened many a Londoner's journey home.

Blue Sky Thinking

You won't hear many complaints, from me, about the beauteous weather we've been enjoying in sunny London town.  I love a warm day, with a sunny blue-hued sky, and even enjoy gazing at the occasional cuddly cloud or two.  So, I've been relishing lots of long riverside walks and hilly rambles in the park - bliss!

Admittedly, it's not too conducive to spending much time slaving over a hot stove.   Light(ish) food is the order of the day and I'd been keenly waiting to try the new product (below) when I learned that it was about to appear on British shelves.  Although I'm not the greatest egg fan, I do enjoy a hard-boiled example, in a Salade Nicoise, and - for something a little more indulgent - an occasional frittata can be a delight.  Two Chicks is a carton of 15 pasteurised egg whites - now available in the chill-section of many UK supermarkets.  At £2.89, it offers decent value.

Nutritionally-sound, it's high in protein, low-calorie, fat and cholesterol-free - the ideal post work-out, muscle replenishing, re-fuel.  The carton keeps in the fridge for up to seven days, once opened; it provides ample supplies for several generous omelettes or light, hot-weather frittatas.  I created mine in a non-stick pan (lubricated with a little olive oil), adding some pre-cooked leaf spinach, enhanced with fresh grated nutmeg, salt and pepper, and a touch of tomato purée, on the side.  Adapt the idea to include your preferred vegetables such as peppers, mushrooms or tomatoes; lovely with your favourite salad leaves and a (slightly) indulgent chilled glass of refreshing sauvignon blanc.

I remained within savoury realms, while trying the product, but you can let your imagination run-riot and create meringues, pavlovas and soufflés, if you're that way inclined...

I indulged my sweeter side with another product I'd been looking forward to tasting.   The vogue for sea salt caramel, in the chocolatier world, has led to Lindt producing a dark chocolate tantalisingly embellished with a sprinkling of sea salt.  The 100g bar contains 47% cocoa solids (not as high as I normally like); with the salty 'kick' more pronounced than I had anticipated.  It makes for a successful marriage, enhancing the richness of the cocoa and offering a taste of the unexpected.  At 510 calories per bar, a couple of pieces make a perfect post-meal sweet treat or mini snack boost.

In the Pink

On my wanderings, today, I was entranced by this beautiful display, in a garden close to London's Richmond Park.  A beauteous duo of pink blooms - so lovely that I returned later for another look and to take a pic (no trespassing was involved...).

Floral Moments

"Oh, to be in England! Now that April's there"... so said Robert Browning, in 'Home Thoughts from Abroad' in the 19th Century.

 

We've been lucky, in London, this April (especially over the past few days) with gorgeous sunshine and relatively balmy temperatures.  I love my little garden, so thought I should share some pics with you... Daffodils aren't usually one of favourites but I couldn't resist these little cuties, to the left (above) on my marble table.

It's a shame you can't get the full benefits of the apple blossom, to the right in this picture - it's very lovely... I adore the contrast with the vast rosemary bush beneath (one of my favourite scents - very invigorating and clean) strewn with delightful lilac-purple flowers.

Inside my little house, the deliciously fragrant theme continues with these stunningly gorgeous, deeply-scented pink lilies.  Ah! little pleasures...

Bankside Walk

On the sunniest Saturday of the year, so far (not difficult), I decided it was time to treat myself to a wander along Bankside, in London's buzzing Southwark.  Perhaps not the greatest of plans, as the rest of London and its environs appeared to have had the same idea.  It was heaving and not the best for someone who likes to move at more than a snail's pace...

The views were gorgeous though.  I never fail to relish gazing across the river at Sir Christopher Wren's regal Saint Paul's.

The pic above shows the dotty Tate transfer boat which conveys visitors between the two London Tate gallery sites (the original at Vauxhall and the Modern at Bankside). The boat is easy to recognise, decorated with multi-hued dots, although they can't be spotted clearly in this pic...

I love the contrast one gets when meandering further, as the scenery across the river Thames evolves to encompass the old and the new.  An elegant countering of the recently built (although no longer wobbly) Millennium Bridge leading to Saint Paul's on the other side.

There's so much to see, from a cost-free walk, to a visit to the Tate(s), a riverboat trip (learning about the history along the way), a drink at a pub, or the lovely bar at the Globe Theatre (rebuilt by the inspirational Sam Wanamaker in the 1990s).  On Thursday, Friday and the weekend, wander further along the river (with a detour at the moment) and take-in the joys and delectations at Borough Market.

I extended my walk to revisit Borough Market (which I love, even though I always feel it doesn't quite have the intrinsically natural, unpretentious attributes of many a local market in France and Italy).  I made a new discovery there, yesterday - the enticing Turkish delight stall with its colourfully authentic, myriad varieties. I was most impressed by the chewy mastic variant, made with Mastic gum from the island of Chios (used to produce the original chewing gum) with multiple digestive health benefits (probably better as a treat, though, due to the high sugar content).

An entertaining, and unanticipated highlight was encountered when I got lost during my meanderings and came across this original sign outside an old housing estate in Southwark.  Aren't unexpected 'treasures' one of the best aspects about walking and getting lost (safely) in a city...

Many today could do with heeding those words...

If you fancy your own wander along Bankside, there are many ways of getting there. Take the train (or a bus) to Waterloo or Waterloo East.  Get the tube (when it's running) to Southwark, or, if you have more time, go for the full river experience on a boat - perhaps opt for the journey from green and regal Greenwich in SE10. When using public transport in London, your best bet is always to use an Oyster Card as the savings on costly fares are considerable.

Out of Africa (aka Gin-novations)

What's your tipple of choice? If you rarely stray far from your familiar glass filler, there's a worthy cause that might nudge you into a detour, out of your comfort zone. The spirit of adventure took me, a couple of nights ago, when I went out to explore the new world of gin with a merry band of celebrated bloggers.

Whitley Neill is an award-winning boutique gin - voted drink brand of 2008 by UK Vogue. It's a spirit with a warm heart - authentic - but with a sun-infused difference. Influenced by his wife's African roots, creator Johnny Neill was inspired to add a touch of the exotic. The signature botanical is the fruit of the versatile Baobab tree. A percentage of each bottle sale is donated to Tree Aid (a charity born out of Live Aid, whose brilliantly practical purpose is to empower indigenous African people - young and old - to find happy long-term solutions to drought-induced crop depletion).

Last summer, Johnny pursued the theme, launching the Top of the Tree Cocktail Challenge. The competition encouraged creative bar professionals to produce the ultimate Whitley Neill concoction, encompassing at least one tree-based ingredient (with a donation made to Tree Aid for each example sold). So, we festive bloggers (Timinator, Tikichris, Foodstories, Chris, Lizzie, Niamh, Melanie, and I) merrily sipped and savoured our way through an élite selection, as we gin-cruised (relatively soberly) through four venues.

The Lobby Bar, at One Aldwych, prepared my two tree-topping stars of the night. Carolin Weise's Africa is perfectly seasonally apt, suffused with warm spicy flavours. Bar Manager, Roberto de Vivo's cheekily titled Lost Cherry is a female take on the Martini - ideal for injecting a sunny influence into long dark winter's nights - redolent with fragrant summer elements of cherry and rose. The recipes will follow shortly...

Jelly-built

 

London's University College was all a-quiver tonight as a wobbly display of famous buildings was showcased out of jelly (jello).  I wish I'd been there to see St Paul's recreated in a moving orange hue, along with other architectural highlights made in trembling party-treat form. Sadly I heard about it too late to shake-on down...

It was a special event, part of The London Festival of Architecture, where the precarious exhibits were accompanied by the strains of a gelatinous symphony, composed by scientists. See what you (we) missed out on in this fab photo - by Greta Ilieva - of St Paul's in all her vibrant, jiggling glory! 

To be a Mayor...

It's been a long wait for Londoners to officially discover the identity of their new Mayor.  Quite extraordinary how long it took to complete the count, of not much more than 6 million votes, yet nothing in comparison with Zimbabwe's scandal and shame.

As for the result... do you know Boris?  He's pretty distinctive and recognisable; to many best-known as bumbling Boris or Boris the buffoon.  I guess I believe in giving people the benefit of the doubt but NO!, I didn't vote for him...  I just hope that he will surround himself with an effective, good, strong, fair, honest and honorable team (if that's possible in modern politics...)

In his acceptance speech, he highlighted the 'huge divisions between rich and poor' and how he will 'focus on the priorities of the people of London' so that he can 'earn people's trust'.  I hope he doesn't let us down or have cause to swallow his words...

Springtime in London...

Welcome to London in April!  This was the sight that greeted me from my bedroom window this morning... Our temperate spring has transformed into winter (at least for now).  No wonder that Brits are weather-obsessed, there's so much weather to obsess us!  It's hailing as I write this; a couple of days ago, I was admiring the gorgeous blossom in my garden...   Ski-ing, anyone?

Enjoy your day, whatever the weather!