Hotel Élysées

Arrived in sunny New York to stay at this gorgeous old school mid town Manhattan hotel . Lovely room and the manager sent a handwritten welcome note with chocolates and champagne! Gotta love it........

Bob Bob's the best

Last night in London had dinner at the fabulous Bob Bob Ricard- a super London supper club with a family connection. I am happy to regale you all with a description of the amazing food. Started with a glass of Pol Roger with Russian Bites - Russian salad, quails egg, herring and truffles and tongue - with a shot of oysters. Then six oysters gratin followed by roast pressed pork with red cabbage with crumbs of black pudding and truffled mash. Then dessert of a trio of creme brûlée - chocolate, lime and galangal and earl grey tea with Tokay . Mum had Dover sole followed by an amazing passion fruit souffle A memorable meal indeed - thanks Richard.....

Yesterday

Thursday morning last day in the UK. Plan to see a stately home or two and then up to London for dinner at Bob Bob Ricard. New York tomorrow. Yesterday went to Jane Austen's house and there was a QUILT that she and Cassandra had seen from scraps of her dress fabric. It looked so gorgeous and the colours were perfect. Very cool pattern of triangles and black and white hail spot that would be lovely to emulate.
And the rest of the house was so sweet with the desk she wrote at, her jewels and a piece lace she had sewn, all lovely. And guess what. You can buy the fabrics on Ebay.

sunny day

Lovely sleep at my cousin's house in Pilley and wake to a sunny spring morning. Perfect day to vist the home of Jane Austin. Considered the house where Downton Abbey was filmed by Mum did not want to vist a house that was 'Victorian'. So the regency manor of our favorite writer wins out. Perfect......

Oops

So much for blogging everyday . Is it too much of a stretch to say I have been very busy and too tired at the end of the day! And this is a quick blog as I am at Waterloo waiting for a train using the helpfully free Starbucks wifi. Pity abut the food. Breakfast on the run is not a way to eat nice food, although yesterday we had porridge at Pret a mange. A list of what I have done is all I can manage....
British Museum
Shopping on Oxfrd Street
Somerset House and the Courtauld Collection
Sung communion at Temple Church Tom Hanks was no where to be seen
Lunch at Oxo Tower Restaurant
National Portrait Gallery
shopping at John Lewis
Leonardo da Vinci at the National Gallery
Dinner with a friend have not seen in 36 years.....
Not bad for three days :)

Easter at Temple Church

I am sure that there wasn't an Easter Egg hunt in the Davinci Code but it fitted the moment. This ancient crusader church really was a highlight and the chocolate eating gargoyle a treat.

My hero

the first blog of my fabulous holiday with mum to London and New York is not about quilting but about food. You may have read my friend Theresa at Sewsandsews blog about her visit to Jamie's Italian in Sydney. Well here I am in Jamie's Italian in Canary Wharf in London and I agree with every word she said. Plus I showed our lovly Russian waiter her blog and he wrote down the URL to show his boss. There must be a special symbiosis between quilters and Jamie. I think it is because we both have such style. I love all of his various projects and I think he is a very clever man. and my waiter also said he was really nice. Mum told the waiter that Jamie was my hero!!!! I want to savour all the amazing tastes in my fish in a bag. So simple yet so flavorsome. In one dish there was - ling,fennel,cracked wheat,tomatoes, lemon, capers, pine nuts, anchovies, garlic,wine, cockles and mussels. Molto grazie Jamie......