Not Paris But The Next Best Thing!!

[Jody]

Mar 14-15 Left early for airport and checked in found out the plane was a hour late.Got wheelchair to get to gate and bypass the long lines at security. Plane not crowded D had 4 seats and I had 3. food horrible I was glad I had some cheese sticks in my purse so we didn’t starve! Got chair again at Gatwick and we met our driver in less than 1/2 hour, Warmly greeted at hotel
Room not ready but Cornelius the guest relation manager called up and told them to ready it at once, in the room in 15 minutes. Nice large room with club lounge privileges, including free Internet. full English breakfast , coffee and tea and cookies all day and canapes and drinks wine or beer in evening all included!! David collapsed and I went out! Got oystercard refilled and hit Boots and Waitrose for some of their super olives.Had a short rest and cleaned up for dinner at La Famiglia. always our first night stop. Met with many kisses and hand shakes and D had his mussel order placed as soon as he walked in They know him!!I ordered fried artichokes as a starter and had to share! D followed with swordfish and sauteed zucchini and I had stuffed veal roast. No dessert and early to bed!

Mar 16 Woke to rainy weather the gods were not with us this trip , light rain not enough for an umbrella but I forgot a rain hat. cold and WINDY.Never got around to buying one glad I didn’t forget my coat this trip like last trip! Had a big breakfast and headed to King’s row. Stopped in to see a friend Fiona at the Sydney Street Gallery before heading across the street to Chelsea Old Town Hall for a big Antique show.Had free tickets so walked right in and xspent several hours just looking. Headed to Duke of York Square to the BADA show stopping in Partridges for lunch first. D had a big chicken Caesar salad and i had quiche. Show was fantastic gorgeous furniture and paintings and the silver.,I learned that emeralds start out as aquamarines from a dealer that specializes in gemstones. Getting late and we have a busy day tomorrow.

[Shoesy]

Nice to see London is another home to you.

[mez]

I enjoy your London reports.

It's nice to read you still get a warm welcome at all your usual haunts. :-)

What are you going to do with no IWM this time around?

[Jody]

After several hours at BADA we hadn’t seen it all but were worn out so decided to leave and come back tomorrow. headed back to hotel to clean up and hit the lounge for a drink and canapes. Dinner this night was Orsini”s a short walk from hotel but we took the bus! Shared a Calamari starter , theirs is some of the best we’ve eaten! David had spaghetti Vongole with loads of little clams in shell in it. I had veal piccata. Too full for one of Mrs Orsini’s wonderful desserts and off to bed!!

Mar 17 Back to BADA,got there as it opened and stayed till lunch time .Back to Partridges D had a venison pie and I did quiche. There was a market in Duke of York place so hit that and went thru all the stalls , This is a big French area and the market reflects that . Getting late and I needed a rest before going for dinner. I had a voucher for Strada at High St Kensington so we got the bus and found it. That whole one side of the street is loaded with restaurants! Very nice food and staff. D wanted a Peroni instead of wine and they servedit in a Peroni glass which was etched with the name and dates D admired it and when we were leaving the waitress presented him with one to take home. I had a roast pork dish and David had salmon!Very good and inexpensive even without a voucher!!

[Happygoin]

Jody, love all this food talk! Continue the fun!

[geordy]

Remind me of the hotel again Jody...and which airline?

Yes sounds like a good food start so far...keep it coming!

[Jody]

Mar.18 David’s birthday!! we headed off to the National Gallery took in the sights at Trafalger before going in A bagpiper and a dancer and some “living statutes”!!We came mainly to see the Fredrich church exhibition. David’s sister was engaged to Church”s grandson but he died before they were wed/ He left her very comfortably well off but no paintings!!It was interesting to see so many paintings and we really enjoyed it. Looked at some other galleries and had lunch in their very good cafe. We saw the hawk man again and he and David spent a long time talking about his job. Walked around the shops in that area until it was time to go back to hotel to get ready for dinner. La Famiglia again, we usually spend one of our birthdays or anniversary there. Skipped a starter as we wanted dessert! D had veal liver , rare as he like it and I had their famous thin lamb chops ,dessert was torta della nona for both of us!! I will have to check Alvaro’s cookbooks to see if there is the recipe for that and the olive spread that comes with bread sticks


Mar 19 Took the bus to Grey’s Antique mall. and got there right at opening time .Was checking out some jewelry at a booth when the man offered to buy my Rolex


he said he’d give me 400 gbp. a pretty good price especially since it needed cleaning and that runs 200 dollars !! I hardly ever wear it at home and won’t miss it ! SOLD!!!

Waked up to the Wallace Collection one of our favorite places, checked out the gift shop saw D’s favorite painting Landseer’s Arab camp, drooled over the china collection in 2 rooms and had lunch in their covered courtyard , I don’t recall what D had but I had a yummy mushroom and leek quiche . Walked back to Oxford St and checked out selfridges and various shop. Traffic is wild on Oxford St!!

Dinner at Orsini’s again as it is closeby. The man sitting next to us said the pumpkin soup was delish so we ordered that for a starter. The waiter came back and said they only had 1 serving left did one of us want something else or to share . We chose to share and I’m glad we did the half serving was huge!!D ordered the Calamari for a main and I had chicken parmesan.

[Jody]

Geordy, Millennium Gloucester right across from the tube at Gloucester Rd We flew Virgin full of screaming kids on the way to Disney coming back!!

[Jody]

Mar 20: d**n i typed this once and deleted it! Wanted to see Book of Mormon but at 108GBP a ticket will pass it by.. Going to have a production in the fall at home in Orlando..checked London TKTS and Mathilda will be available today. Got to Leicester Sq TKTS booth early and were among the ufo=first in line But they only had 1 Ticket available Decided to get Chorus Line even though we had seen it many years ago. Good
choice. the singing and dancing were excellent and the cast first rate , Also great seats 5th row center aisle. It was after 6 when we got out so headed home! Tired so went to Orsini’s again David and a risotto and i chose a pasta with a creamy sauce and mushrooms!
and pancetta. Off to bed as we are both growing old!!!!

Mar 21 Thus. means Borough Market !!!! got off at the right stop and we were there when it opened. Spent several hours just walking around sampling the samples/ D had some hand dived scallops and I filled up on free stuff!! Made it back as far as Elephant and Castle and planned to get the bus back to hotel at IWM but I got mixed up on the streets to it. It is a big circular tube station.So grabbed a cab and told him to take us to Sloane Sq tube station Passed right by IWM and i said we should get out but D said we’d told driver Sloane Sq and shoudln’t cut his fare !!
We do eat something other than Italian bat you’d not know it from our choice of restaurants in London. We love the food at Carluccio”s but the noise is frightful at the Chelsea one so we thought we’d try the one off high st, Kensington.Much quieter and nice staff David had his favorite venison tortilonni, and I had past with spinach balls . Wish I knew how they made those!

Mar 22 off again to National Gallery to view the 18th and 19th century paintings that we missed and also went to The Portrait Gallery. Had lunch again in their cafe It is really good , I saw the lentil soup another table was having and wished I had chosen that! They have excellent desserts. David repeated hid orange and lemon cake and I took a slice of Bakewell tart. Needed a rest jet lag is catching up with me so headed back Drinks in the lounge and La FAmiglia again We both chose lamb roast with a yummy sauce!

Mar 23 Had to go to Natural History museum to pick up a gift for my nephew Cooper He loves
crystals and geodes.he calls them his treasure he’s 5 . Enormous lines to get in but the attendant saw my cane and we were moved to the front of the line!!! Got him a turtle and a crystal can’t recall what the turtle is made of looks like a stone to me but he”ll know!!Headed next to the V&A. I wanted to see the Royal Exhibit but the line was also for David Bowie exhibit and it was endless!! So gave up after a half hour waiting and onley getting half way to the front. Checked out the Gilbert Collection of silver , I could look at that everyday!! Cafe was crowded so went across to Orsini for lunch. The lunch menu is the same as dinner so when dinner came around we had some canapes and wine and called it a Night!!

Last day Mar 24 ..Another antique show at the Rembrandt Hotel, just looked didn’t buy!! good stuff and we priced a lot of things for future reference. Backtohotel to pack up and have a rest before diner at RAcine a really good French place nearby.Had roast lamb very rare as th French excel in doing it David had ling . French for Cobia which we hardly ever see on menus. I wanted lemon sole but they were out of it Creme brulee for dessert.

Our car was right on time and we made Gatwick quickly too bad our plane was 2 hours late in leaving and was filled with scresming children on the way to Disney!!! MAde it quickly thru passport control and customs as all I declared was 12 bags of olives that I only can get at Waitrose! david and I both bought new watches at the Dutyfree but i didn’t remember to declare them, Only cost 15 gbp each so no big deal!! Gizzy was very glad to see us and has been hangine around the house ever since we”ve been home. Mainly sleeping in David’s lap

[janetnj]

My mouth is watering from all the food descriptions!

Glad Gizzy is back in his right place - David's lap.

[Darcy]

My thoughts exactly, Janet! Thanks, Jody!

[mez]

The restaurant at the National Portrait Gallery has good views. I went for the first time on my last visit and it's on the list again for next time.

[Shoesy]

Wow! You had a Rolex!!!

[Jody]

Try their pastries and the brand of cider they have is the best!!!

[PariS]

Sounds like you two had a really nice trip, Jody! I love hearing all about the food, too Funny you mentioned lentil soup--I had it twice in Paris this last trip and both versions were excellent--one at Terroir Parisien and one at La Régalade Saint-Honoré.

[cigalechanta]

Jody, how I envy your trips. I don't get to travel much these days .
Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer.

[PariS]

Apr 5, 2013 11:55:47 GMT -5 cigalechanta said:

Travel is the only thing you can buy that makes you richer.

I like that! You should set it as your signature, Mimi!

[saintgermain]

Hi Jody,
A couple of years ago, I was looking for tickets for Paris, but they were very high, and I happened on tickets to London for an amazing price :-) We loved it, and the Portrait Gallery was one of our stops for breakfast. I have no idea what we ate -- probably a scone and tea -- because we were there for the incredible view!

Sandy