Girls Night Out on the Town

Interruption to holiday reports to say I’m feeling very excited as a bunch (flock, gaggle, band, brood?) of us are going out for a “Girls Night Out on the Town” tomorrow night. I couldn’t quite face calling it a “Hen’s” even though Steve is going on his Stag this weekend and its kind of for the same purpose (I think).

The venue is Hakkasan, recently voted one of London’s top restaurants. The attire will be black. Hair and nails will be done. Eyebrows already dealt with.

I really really hope there will be no sign of pink veils, matching t-shirts or penis shaped straws.

Provence - L'Ancienne Cure

We had such a lovely time staying at L’Ancienne Cure. Martine and Erik welcomed us at the door and helped us find a car park in the narrow windy streets nearby. They have spent several years restoring the 16th century house by hand and it shows in all the details throughout. The wide stone steps lead up to the bedrooms from the entrance



We were staying in the “Forte” room overlooking the garden with a private terrace for soaking up the sun under the gaze of St Maria, sitting atop the spire of the church across the road.



We wandered down to the garden for dinner and met two other couples staying at the hotel. Its amazing how lively a conversation can be had with very little language in common. Erik begged us to speak more slowly while holding his nose, imitating our nasal accents. First up was the very important matter of the aperitif – a selection of local fruity liqueurs and champagne. I had a Violet Kir – sweet white wine with a dash of Violet liqueur – very floral and purple.



Martine served an amazing Provencal meal she has spent the afternoon cooking – aubergine terrine and Lamb cassoulet served with buckwheat. We were having a lively conversation after the meal over the obligatory cheese course when Martine jumped up with a shriek and dashed into the house just in time to save the baking Peach tartes for desert. Thank god! – they were divine!.

The ceremony of the meal not yet over, Erik appeared from the house with another armful of bottles. The digestif – another important part of the meal. I had a thimbleful of Elixer de Tyme – Thyme Liqueur. This was delicious and strong. I appreciated the 150kg of thyme that goes into making just a litre of this stuff. We toasted St Maria as she watched benevolently over the garden.

We retired up to our room with some very Gallic sniggers and suggestive comments from Erik following us.

A half a week in Provence

It has been a hard week at work coming down from the high of our holiday last week. You can probably tell from the previous post we had a lovely time in France. Then India was a complete contrast and also spectacular.


We drove as far as Paris on Friday night after a few tense pre-departure moments fitting the new bike racks. As it started to drizzle. At one point a springy bit pinged off into the garden, and I dropped the bike I was meant to be holding on the car roof, while a deranged lady with a headscarf like Princess Margaret and a case of Tourettes (no I don't mean me, ...no really) stood on our driveway watching us shouting "F*ck, f*ck! f*ggghhhhrrrrr". I looked on smiling encouragingly (at Smithy not the crazy lady).

The Chunnel was great – we arrived half an hour early and drove straight on to the train. It takes about 35 minutes for the crossing and we were off again. I was wondering if Vanessa (our satelite navigator) would have a French accent once we crossed the channel but we were disappointed. She maintained her bossy, slightly posh Englishness. She guided us without a hitch to our roadside hotel near Orly airport around midnight just as the restaurant and bar were closing.



The mini bar yielded one beer, one coke and one water. Steve rang reception to say that our mini bar hadn't been stocked up. The hotel guy arrived and looked confused at two people talking incoherently yet excitedly in a strange language and stranger accent "whayne, there's noaouw WHAYNE!!". We convinced them to send us a bottle of wine up to get the holiday underway in the style we fully intended to carry on. That the bottle stayed sitting on the bedside table between our two singe beds half full is a testament to its pure badness. There is not much wine I don’t find drinkable and we were a bit disappointed to find it in France. Even some of the cheeky Slovenian numbers I've tried in the past were good compared.



The next day we continued on France’s fantastic motorways (compared to the UK – note article in today’s paper about a scheme to let people drive on the hard shoulder to relieve the traffic congestion) for about 7 hours until we arrived in the little town of Buis-les-Barronies. At L'Ancienne Cure where we stayed we were greeted by Martine, Erik and their black poodle. Martine asked if we wanted dinner. After a day of car snacks, butterscotch and chocolate eclairs washed down with vending machine coffee, I couldn't get my acceptance out fast enough.

to be continued....

Provence

We arrived home last night after 13 hours of driving from Provence back to London. This is Gordes, the village we stayed for a few nights. I now understand why Provence is so popular - amazing weather and scenery - but really this area is all about the eating and drinking.

You can see many (many) more photos over at flickr and just to warn you there are a lot of food related ones.

Road trip

Road trip

Got the roadmap, got the cycling gear, got the snacks. Mont Vontoux here we come! See you in a week or so.

Tower Bridge London

Tower Bridge London
Originally uploaded by Hells Bells.

It was a lovely evening after a rainy day. Although evenings seem much shorter all of a sudden. Am not looking forward to daylight saving ending at all.

Sitting in my study tonight I noticed our friendly garden fox had almost come right up to the study window. As usual I scrambled for my camera but then the phone rang and he (or maybe she) was off through the hole in the fence. He's a regular visitor so maybe sometime I will be quick enough. Maybe I can capture him one morning as he seems to have a regular sleeping spot on the grass.

wedding update

Am very excited as the invitations went in the mail today and will be soon winging their way to 10 different countries. I hope people aren't as slack as I am when it comes to RSVPing.

I told our wedding planner that numbers might by slightly up - an increase in initial estimates from somewhere between 20 to 40. The reason I love her so much: her response to this piece of information was " wow the place will be really jumping!"

Craft actually

I like a bit of a challenge so I've decided to start a new blog. Craft actually is for the crafty, knitty, sewing stuff. LSF will be for the London, travelling and general rhubarb. I think this will mean more posting overall and a chance for me to do something a bit different in the new hood. Come over and visit for a cuppa and let me know if you like it!

tube puppy

As part of the mission to produce some wedding invitations I visited Oxford Street yesterday, targeting Selfridges as the source of all things good in stationery. Such a beautiful place. It really is shopping heaven. Downstairs through the food hall is the source of some great stuff including ordning & reda stationery and who’s latest stock included the lovely and unique letterpress invitations from Elum. I did price these in a flight of fancy but when the quote came back at twice the cost of my dress and shoes combined I decided plan A - DIY was the way forward. I went around to the section where they have several walls of blank cards and paper and made a sales assistant help me count out 100 cards and 100 envelopes.

I am very happy with the design I've come up with but last night discovered there is a fatal flaw. I insisted that Smithy carefully wash his hands to view the prototype; while waiting for this to happen a drop of condensation from my water fell on the prototype. Disaster. Ink everywhere. I’m considering sending them out with a warning. So Smithy came in to my study to find me frantically making prototype Mark II in the hope that he wouldn’t discover it was my carelessness that destroyed Mark I. Unfortunately I was busted.

On the way home from Selfridges I got on the Jubilee line at Bond Street and was delighted to spy a seat in the middle of the carriage. Only when I looked down I realised why no-one was sitting there. Two drooling dogs – one a very cute puppy who seemed keen to sit on top of anyone’s feet and shopping. The other a stud with quite large balls. His owner looked like he’d had a rough Saturday night as he sat with head resting on his skinny knees.

WIP Wedding Invitations

I freaked out a little bit when P told me on Wednesday she had worked out it was 12 weeks to the wedding.

This actually means TEN weeks today that we leave for Aus. V. Excited.

I MUST do (start) our invitations. This weekend. Or else!

IOW cycling trip

South coast
Originally uploaded by Hells Bells.

We got off the ferry at Ryde (how appropriate you say) and met the group at the station cafe. We got off to a shaky start down the wooden pier, trying not to get thin tyres stuck between planks. I was pretty relieved when the couple in front got off and walked. I figured if they in their matching racing gear and clip shoes could walk it then it was fine for me too.

On to firm land and we all saddled up again. Round the corner and up a big bloody hill. They all took off like it was flat, except for racing couple who appeared to be cycling downhill. I found out later Lisa is some international biathalon champion. Great. Anyway that left me at the bottom, frantically trying to remember how to use my gears again. Bugger.

Anyway we finally lost most of them, as they cyled gaily off into the distance. "You.....go.....on......too......." I gasped at Steve. Luckily he told me get a grip and my lungs eventually started working again.

We cycled around to Cowes and had lunch there, watching the yachts sail in. It was a great atmosphere and I would have happily stayed eating burgers and drinking shandies but everyone else was keen to "get some miles in".

50km later we finally arrived at Freshwater, me legs burning and shaking a little bit, Steve carrying my backpack. The shame.

We had a lovey dinner at the hotel. Most of the group were younger and more than half were Aussies.

The next day thank goodness everyone left before we got on the road so we could take it at a pretty leisurely pace along the south side of the island. They were all doing an extra side trip to the Needles (gah) while I was trying to figure out if Smithy would notice if i hailed a cab back to the ferry. Unfortunately he was on to me and made my cycle in front.

We finally got back to the ferry after a short break for sugar laden food to get me up the last couple of hills. It was a lovely sight back to Portsmouth with the sails dotted out accross the channel.

I.O.W.

This weekend we are heading down to the Isle of Wight for a cycling trip with a bit of a gang from Smithy's work.

I am looking forward to it. We are staying in what looks like a very nice hotel.

But I am a bit nervous for a few reasons:
1. I haven't been on my bike for over two years. I had to get it serviced last week and the back wheel straightened as it went a bit wonky on its latest flight from Aus.
2. The tone of the girl organising the trip. In her emails she says v. worrying things like "a short 35 mile ride to the hotel at Freshwater" and, "day two we can take it easy on the 30 mile return". What the?!!

3. I don't know these people but I suspect they are very fit and sporty. Stranger danger.
4. It wasn't until yesterday that it dawned on me that catching the ferry over = no car. ie carrying stuff for the night in a back pack! I'm not sure if I can cope with any excess baggage.
5. When I mentioned IOW at work everyone started chanting "Cows, Cows....for Cows?". This made me very confused until they explained Cowes week is some major yachting thing. So it will be very busy there.

But on the bright side, today when I went to the bike shop I discovered these excellent cycling pants that have the regular cycle pants with the sexy padded bit on the inside and regular shorts on the outside!! I can appear in public in these things without dying of celulite/muffin top shame inside. YAY!

WIP

WIP Bebe Robbo Quilt
Originally uploaded by Hells Bells.

Making steady progress with Bebe Robbo's quilt. I can now confirm he is no longer nameless. Lewis Alexander is very very cute. And perfect.

A couple of thunderstorms have broken the record breaking heat. So now it is hot and humid. Still loving it though - as long as I can avoid public transport as much as possible. I have taken to buying a Calypo at either the beginning or end of my journy home. I can give you the fascinating information that a Calypo at Blackfriars Station snack bar is £1, at the corner shop at East Dulwich its 75p and at the offie a bit futher down the road they are 65p. But they are all slightly melted whereever you get them at the moment.

Welcome Bebe Robbo

inspiration
Originally uploaded by Hells Bells.

You beat me to it...I'm still making your pressie. But it might be finished before your parents choose your name.

Congratulations Robbo & Robert

divine

lucky
Originally uploaded by Hells Bells.

Bebe Robbo

This little fellow is definitely taking his time getting here. To be fair he's only a couple of days late. His parents are a little impatient but I'm secretly (not any more) quite relieved. It will give me some more time to make a bit more progress than this one patch.

London T.O.A.S.T

We went to Regents Park for the TOAST festival on Saturday for the NZ day of food and wine tasting. We went to the North Is vs South Island wine tasting. I like the "younger" South Island reisling but was completely out of sync with the rest of the crowd. Everybody liked the Pinot Noir.

We regrouped in the afternoon for the Dave Dobbin concert. Being a uncouth Aussie I didn't have a true appeciation for his genious but he does have a few goodies. To be honest the only one I recognised was Slice of Heaven that they play at the rugby ;)

Great weather, great wine and a fab day out in the sun. Loving summer this year. Apparently its due to be THIRTY EIGHT degrees here tomorrow (about 100 degrees for those working in the weird system).

Tower bridge from London bridge

I haven't posted much for awhile as I started my "60 days of exercise" (on the day that Australia was evicted from the WC. By those ch**ting....ha well we'll never really know. But anyway). So that night I obviously didn't exercise but it has been going pretty well since then with at least a 80% hit rate. Conversely, since that point I have been socialising randomly more than I have since...awhile (one or two quiet ones).

Last Friday night after afore mentioned one or two (LARGE) quiet ones I decided it would be best if I walked to London Bridge before heading home (damage limitation). Somehow I thought the alcohol might be diluted by the exercise. Unfortunately it had the effect of the alcohol levels rising to the point of "peaking" as I arrived home (another story). Anyway. If I hadn't decided to do my daily exercise on the way home I would have missed an incredible sunset over the Thames and "beautiful light". At the time i thought it was possibly a divine nod to the aniversary of 7/7. But thinking back I'm not sure if it was "beautiful light" but "diesel fueled light". I'll let you be the judge.

Second bedroom reborn

Second bedroom AFTER

The new curtains in the second bedroom - and the Icelandic Blue walls. I still need to paint the skirting boards but it may be awhile before that happens but thought I'd show these off in the meantime. I love this fabric its so glam and pretty. Steve came to the rescue with his power tools and helped me put up the curtain rail.

Second bedroom BEFORE


This room wins the award for "most improved carpet" although you can't see that in the picture above. Just be comforted that this minging stuff has gone, along with the scary weapon.

Istanbul Birthday Weekend

Its been a bit quiet around here because I've been busy celebrating my birthday week. Last weekend Steve took me to the cool city of Istanbul for my birthday. We stayed in the old city around the corner from the Hagha Sophia and the Blue Mosque (above).

We took Friday off work and caught the three hour flight early Friday morning. On Friday night we went to Rami - a restaurant with a roof terrace overlooking the Blue Mosque. There was the sound of turkish music floating up from the coffee shops in the markets below and later in the evening the eerie sound of the call to prayer sounded out from it and other neibouring mosques in answer.

We set out on Saturday morning to visit Haghia Sophia but the Armenian Arch Bishop was visiting so about 1000 police were out in force keeping tourist away. We made our way down to Topkapi Palance instead. The highlight was a tour through the Harem, although our militaristic tour guide (necessary for this part of the palace) kept us going through it at a trot. "Ladiiiiies and Gentlemen we have only 20 minutes. Follow me please. NOW!" was her mantra throughout. I managed to take a whole lot of photos still and am very grateful for the invention of digital camerals yet again. There are apparently over 300 room in the harem but we only ran through about 20 of them - but all spectalularly tiled and decorated with stained glass windows and inlay wood cabinets.

We also went underground to the cool, dark Cisterns where I moronically asked Steve why there was water everywhere. huh?!! Well the Cistene Chappel doesn't have water all over the place! This was a massive underground building with 336 columns supporting the roof. It was built by the Romans at the same time as the Haghia Sophia and forgotten, only resdisovered in 1545. The purpose is obviously to store the city's supply of water and it is mind blowing that it still works 1400 years later.

In the afternoon we went to the Grand Bazaar after being waylaid by a hopeful carpet seller on the way who was disappointed when we didn't snap one up. We did enjoy the apple tea though. It was good preparation for bargaining in the market though. After saying "no" a few times the prices came down dramatically. I used this technique to snap up a couple of leather handbags at great prices.

We made it back to the Haghia Sophia on Sunday morning. I don't think I've been to another building as old - built in the 6th century which makes it over 1,400 years old and its spectacular. Originally a Byzantine christian church, converted into a mosque in the 15th century and then deconsecrated and turned into a museum when the Greeks and Italians were trying to turn it back into a Christian church at the fall of the Ottoman empire in 1934.

Finally we went into the Blue Mosque for a brief gawk after removing shoes and covering hair and shoulders. Most of it is roped off for men only, women are allowed to hang out at the back.