London: Tea Time in Wonderland

Resistance is useless. It may only be early November but Christmas is everywhere – you can’t escape. The street lights have been switched on, with parties to celebrate the event. Shops have all switched the windows decoration to this w-ho-ho-ho-le new theme. Harrods is having their famous parade this Saturday. You can even find mince pie popcorn! Very commercial, of course but then again with the night now falling arounf 16.30, we all need a little mulled wine and fake snow to cheer us up. Merry London, everyone!

* Meet the macarons magician Pierre Hermé who will be signing his new book.

* Mrs Marmitelover’s underground market is the place to go this week-end. Just reading the description, you will be drroling.

* On Saturday, 300 hundred vintage cars will invade Regent street. Quite a view!

* Street art fan? You cannot miss Sick Boy’s latest show.

* Carnivorous friends will go hunting for this new pop-up.

* Poppies bloom on Boris’ bikes.

* Selfridge’s plans a white Xmas.

* The day of the dead, Mexican style, should spice up your Saturday at the Wellcome Collection.

* A free, artistic, relaxed and musical evening to forget the annoying sound of firecrackers.

* Make your own gin.

* Stop at the Soane Museum to marvel at Liliane Lijn’s utopian and light inspired work.

* See amazing pictures of the Rainforest lost paradise at the Somerset House.

* Fascinating objects of the past, this way.

* A brunch at the Savoy with jazz, now that is real class.

* End the week with real fireworks.

Pssst:

* The Secret Cinema is finally back -  get tickets, quick!
* Stephen Fry on stage? You cannot miss that.

I love this confused season -  Halloween mixed with Christmas. I can almost imagine Santa trying trick or treating to fight the recession and get a few more gifts for his stock. I saw today that Oxford Street will be switching its lights on soon, November the first, one party down, time for the next. Sounds like we should all have a few more chocolates to find the energy!

* Hop, pop-corn and movie on Trafalgar. Do bring a blanket.

* American Apparel is sure to make you sprint towards your new wardrobe with prices starting from £1…

* Go an extraordinary banquet.

* American football fan? Stop at Trafalgar Square and cheer.

* Look out for pub cats.

* Try this photo challenge alonge the Thames.

* Marvel at the multitude of artistic travels and installation that make the Bloomsbury festival.

* Celebrate Diwali -  particularly at Dishoom with their family activities on Saturday!

* See London unroll in front of you in digital.

* Add a spoonful of sweetness to your life with this London honey made on Bermondsey street. Chérie City had a chance to taste it.

* One apple a day… Oh well, make it plenty of apples in one day at the Borough Market.

* Pop-ups are not dead. They just turned into vampires…

* A cash machine speaking cockney? Yes! On Roman Road. Brilliant.

* The National Portrait Gallery plays the sexy card.

* Prepare your anecdotes for Halloween.

* Gold stars to be awarded for those preferring walking to public transports?

* Looking for a cute present? One can never tire of the Biscuiteers seasonal shortbreads – have a look!

*

I feel like colouring the sky with the highlighters I keep at work, don’t you? Meanwhile, we can always paint the town red…

* Every Thursday in October, taste beer in a micro-brewery.

* (Re)discover Brixton village, who has its own currency.

* There will be dancing on the squares.

* Art shine in neon colours.

* Get your bike out -  there is a cake tour on!

* Step into a magical world.

* Learn a little something about a legend of Brick Lane.

* Get a slice of Boris.

* Harrods adds a Swedish touch to Xmas treats.

* Even if you are not planning to marry, go and admire those sublime vintage dresses.

* Calling all the honeys…

* You can love knitting AND be a bit of a rebel.

* Oh, that should really get you dancing  if you are a Tina Turner fan.

Pssst: Lazarides is lauching their second artistic edition in the Old Vic Tunnels. The theme will be the Minotaur and this should also be quite a gastonomic experience too. Have you got your ticket yet?

All year long, Carluccio’s team travels around Italy to meet with local producers and find the most exquisite products. Some are available all year long in the restaurants’ deli, others are very special treats for Christmas. And yes, although we are only in July, brands are thinking about this already.

The idea, this year, is to focus on the true meaning of Christmas. Not so much giving than being together and sharing laughs and delicious times. So why not put bowls of cakes around the house? There is so much to choose from: crunchy nougat, chestnut dolchettis, chocolat gressinis, honey slices… The table will look even more festive if you sparkle it with gianduja filled chocolate stars, add a few crakers hiding a truffle instead of the classic useless toy. Or you could add nocciolinis (mini hazelnut meringues) on top of your desert. Or all of those, really.

It does not stop there. Place a grappini close to a cute cup of coffee – wow effect guaranted as this chocolate is filled with grappa and is more drunk than eaten. Gourmets will also fall for the figs filled with chestnuts and dipped in chocolate… or the exotic candied tangerine quarters also in a layer of cacao.

There will be gifts, sure. The wrappings have already been thought of with touches of orange and gold or beautiful jars. You barely need to add anything but a card to them. For someone more savoury than sweets, try one of the hampers with the very best of Carluccio’s: we particularly love the risotto one with truffle fondant and a special wooden spoon.

The following morning, everyone can linger around a café au lait and indulge in a slice of pannetone with jhazelnut icing or some pandolce, a traditional died fruit cake from Genoa.

Add a chimney, candles, oranges planted with cloves. Happiness is sometimes so easy to achieve…

Biglie di cioccolato, £5.95 for 150g

Tartufo dolce – White and dark hazelnut truffles, £9.95 for 140g

Fiocci di neve, Hazelnut meringues, £10.95 for 290g

Pupazzetti, Milk and dark chocolate Santas, £5.95 for 180g

Baci di mama, hazelnut biscuits with a chocolate hazelnut filling, £15.95 for 875g

Nocciolini, mini hazelnut meringue buttons, £4.95 for 120g

Palle di neve, chocolates with a hazelnut centre, £5.95 for £175g

N
Torrone, Hazelnut torrone block, £24.95

Grappini, chocolates with a liquid grappa center, £7.95 for 85g

Pandolce di genova, traditional Christmas cake from Genoa, £9.95

Do you remember our chat, the other day about getting ready for Xmas?
Each year we do the same. Rush from one shop to another and the shopping list only seems to be getting better. Then again, there always is the option to go for a place that would have it all, from toys to deco.

Handpicked Media and Sainsbury’s recently put together a very festive event to present their latest trends. Surrounded by beautifully decorated trees and wrapped gifts, I did not care it was July anymore, I just wanted to sing Jingle Bells. I wonder whether anyone else did. Here are a few ideas to borrow from their collection:

* Forget China made toys. It is always better to give memories rathan than things and you can do just that with those adorable kids-size baking tools:

Space star silicon moulds £3.50 for 8

Kids ustensils from £2.50, heart cake tin £3 for 2

Teapot shortbread cutters £5

* It is high time to remember that cooking can be sexy,a kitchen colourful and a gorgeous shiny pan an excellent idea to contain a hamper and a family recipe:

Beautiful knife collection by Sainsbury’s, as classy and cutting as pros. From £11.

Cast iron collection, colourful and glossy which makes even frying an egg a pure pleasure. From £20.

* Stock on fun items to make smiles last longer than just an evening:

Sergeant Pepper Mill, £10

Xmas pudding bauble £2.99, assorted mug £5

Candles, £3.50

* Make your own Christmas traditions and start by giving it a brillaint silver and blue look:

There were so many ideas I should have written down – like replacing stocking swith wellies, put colourful baubles under a glass cake dome… Sainsbury’s is sure to inspire you. You might find, though, that oyur trolley is way to small for all the treasures you have found!

Christmas? In July? Have I gone mad? Magazines are always a step ahead and are now preparing their winter issues, so jingle bells it is… Be prepared for a serious landscape change.

Ladurée‘s sugar laboratories have been working hard to find the perfect combination, ones that would evoke the spirit of December, giving, celebrating, sitting together around a lovely fire. What will it be? Chestnut and pear -  a beautiful alternative to the usual cinnamon spiced option which can saturate the tastebuds quickly. This is tasty yet light -  think of the warm feeling the chestnut can give with the freshness of the pear. This, my friends, will be the perfect pause to regain energy between two shopping sprees in crowded streets. It will also make a perfect gift – who does not like Ladurée boxes? – and will seduce guys too:  the nutty touch will fit wonderfully a roasted coffee or the caramel of a whisky.

If you are looking for a wow effect for desert, they have it covered too with this beautiful bauble. Same theme, chestnut and pear. You can almost hear the crunching noise of your spoon against the chocolate cover… Even standing a meter away from it, you can smelle the beautiful aroma of the cacao.

The separation is right under the white line and allows for 6 portions in total. Or like a journalist mentioned that day, they could make your menu for the day: one for breakfast, one for lunch and one for dinner!

The French traditionally have Yule Logs and Ladurée will offer a collection of those. We tried the desert size which allows you to present a variety of flavours on the table. Nice moist biscuit base with a cloud like cream – yes, you can get through two portions at the end of a meal… (whether it is actually reasonable is another issue). Ou favourite was the red fruit, more refreshing, vanilla filling with a layer of blackcurrant. But look at the chestnut – elegant to the final touch, a little gold-leaf. The cream does contain pieces of chestnut for extra tecture.

The only annoying thing, you see, with Christmas in summer, is that we will all have to wait until end of November to be able to have those…

Have a bubbly time this Xmas!

It’s Xmas party time! You know, work ones, drinking and cheering a littl too much with colleagues, sitting all together with a paper crown on your head… So kitsch. So Xmas. We had ours, an indian dinner one, just wanted to rebel against the whole system. Definitely was a first, probably was the last too… How about yours? Anyway, let’s keep on patying this week-end, it will give us an excuse to, hum, forget to do those best wishes cards…

- Why not go for a free Xmas walk on Friday?

- THE address all whisky fans should visit…

- Put a smile on your face with this Norman Rockwell exhibition!

- Santa’s on the roll…

- Who said you could not play with your food?

- Take the kids to a free panto @ the Scoop… or at the O2 funfair!

- Go and burn all the mince pies calories @ a Xmas disco…

- Another Xmas market, on the Docks, this time…

- A quince perfumed tea (and other sweet treats) this way…

- It’s all in the detail with Ben Johnson @ the National Gallery…

- Mulled wine and BBQ this Sunday @ the Phoenix Garden!

- Discover strange historical jewels…

Psssst: £1 menus @ the amazing Café Luc in January – keep an eye on them to know when to book!

Dickens is so Christmasy, don’t you think? This year, I’m planning an afternoon on the sofa with my 5-year-old which would include the Disney version of A Christmas carol, hot apple juice with cinnamon and reindeer shaped shortbreads.

Which is why I could not resist Courvoisier’s idea of a Dickens tour around Covent Garden. You will get glimpses of his world, learn about his childhood, what a genius at marketing he was, as well as discover settings featuring in his novels… I studied Oliver Twist at uni but this is definitely much more fun! I had no idea he had his offices so close to the apple market nor that he managed a successful literrary magazine and there are plenty more anecdotes to treasure…

What is the link with the famous brand? Well, when Dickens died, several cases of the French drink were found in his personnal belongings. Re-read his novels and you will actually find many mentions of fine punch cocktails too – quite a classic drink at the time. The tour includes two recipes to try for a very festive touch. First a cold version, one of the author’s favourite: apple juice, lemon, sugar, ginger ale and a dash of Courvoisier. Just the energy you need to step out in this cold weather! On your return, there will be another treat, a mug of Steaming Bishop: port, spiced red wine, grapefruit, Seville orange juice and Courvoisier. Bishop refers to the colour of the drink, between red and purple, very similar to the dress of the clergyman.The only missing thing would be a chimney fire…

A lovely tour to put you in a cheerful mood. After all, t’is the season to be merry!

The Courvoisier Dickens tour

Until Dec 19, 2010 – £8/person for the walk and two punch cocktails
Want to know more about Dickens and punch drinks? Read this amazing article.

Xmas tree? Check. Cards, wrapping, ribbons? Check or postponed to the very last minute. Party time? Let’s go!

- There’s a touch of magic @ Kew Gardens…

- Visit a historical house decorated for Xmas…

- Play hide and seek @ the Pyrus Art Gallery…

- Xmas afternoon tea, anyone? Or maybe one with a zest of madness?

- Street art stuck behind bars…

- Hop, another Xmas fair, very much into design, that one… and another one there…

- Even the Somerset House has its own…

- In search of vintage gifts? Try this pop-up shop…

- Choccie time on Southbank!

- (Or cookie time for guys – cool gift!)

- Boris Bikes for everyone!

- Hate December? Have a reindeer pie.

- Grab a coffee and listen to carols under the Trafalgar Norvegian Xmas tree…

- Be generous…