London: Tea Time in Wonderland

I love April skies. Indecisive, tortured. A ray of sunshine, a shower of rain, the sudden music of hail. Of course, it may lead to a certain surcharge (shirt, scarf, hood, sunglasses -  be prepared for everything. In the same day.) But as dusk approaches, clouds take a velvety appearance, get painted with even brighter colours if only for a minute, like a luxurious marble… Get your umbrella and scroll down to discover ideas for your week-end in London!

That’s art baby!
* Rediscover London through photographs of its past at the Wandworth museum

* Be amazed by Cate Blanchett, on the stage of the Barbican for a few days only.

Yummy-time ahead:
* Fall for the “Afternoon tea in the park” hampers by Bea’s . Ah, if only we also could order some sun!

* This week-end, the Southbank market celebrates India.

* Dine as on the Titanic -  the final menu is recreated at Hix for the centenary.

* A mobile tea-room – love it! Follow it in Soho.

Take the little ones along:
* A delicious idea from Carluccio’s: a biscuit workshop for bakers-to-be.

* Take them to see the newborn ducklings -  nothing could be cuter.

Out of the ordinary:
* On Thursday, shop rock’n'roll at a cute themed vintage market.

* Abracadabra, have a look at the Magic Circle Museum.

* On Friday, indulge in a free concert at the V&A, a mix of jazz and Indian music.

* Every Sunday until the end of August, the Spitafields City Farm proposes an outdoor “eco-chic” market -  worth a detour if you are around Brick Lane.

* Did you know you can swap your books on Carnaby street?

* On Sunday, to celebrate the Olivier Awards, the place to be will be the Covent garden Piazza with performances from top West End shows.

* Or celebrate Thai new year at the amazing temple in Wimbledon -  exoticism guaranteed. Or just stop by at Trafalgar square.

Like diners? You will love Big Easy. Inspired by crabshacks – those casual beach restaurants specialised in seafood and American classics dishes – this address has won the heart (and stomach) of both locals and passers by on King’s Road. Just a look through the window at those fabulous plates and you are hooked. 20 years of success and customers licking their fingers.

Decoration is simple and it is all part of the charm. It has this warm and friendly touch from the south of the US -  the colours, the sense of humour, the welcome, the menu with home-cooked food and excellent prices. People relax instantly -  no need to pretend, businessmen get rid of their tie, families share combos, friends cheer to a beautiful day spent together. A whole mix of people brought together by the atmosphere.

We stopped by at the end of a sunny afternoon and decided to enjoy the blue sky a little longer, sitting at one of the outside tables. It just called for a Pina Colada, the perfect holiday touch, velvety touch of the coconut sweetened by the rum and a generous serving of fresh pineapple juice. The range of cocktail is large, some are served in jugs. Children can enjoy milk-shakes like the fab Graceland (vanilla, peanut butter, banana) and parents an upgraded version spiked with alcohol.  Below is the Pirates of the Caribbean, mixing vanilla ice cream, rum, coconut cream -  the little plus that makes such a difference -  fresh mint. Oh, and it leaves delicious moustaches too.

We could not choose in the long list of starters -  chicken wings with voodoo sauce? Deep fried calamari?  Fresh shucked oysters? Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers? Our waitress came to the rescue, advising the mussels, which fragrance is divine. those have been cooked in a beautiful sauce of onions and white wine, even enjoyable on its own, spoonful after spoonful. Do try the roasted potato skins too, with a fluffy mash enhanced with spring onions and loaded with mature cheddar. Add a little sour cream for extra pleasure. Beware, if you came with kids they will make those disappear in no time so race them!

One of the specialties is a royal dish indeed -  lobster. Oh my, what a treat! The team goes to the market on a daily basis to ensure the best quality and the freshest produce. In top restaurants, you will need to empty your wallet for a tiny piece presented beautifully. Here the deal is much more honest: the whole beast, a 2lb lobsters with fries and salad for only £19.95 (every Tuesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 5pm). You read that right a whole kilo, the most delicate flesh, almost sweet. Of course, you will have to forget elegance. The whole fun is into using your fingers, crack the shell, extract as much as you can. Greediness will reveal unsuspected dexterity and textures vary whether it is the tender insides, the leg, the claw. A few minutes and you will understand better the plastic bib brought with the plate. Yes, the picture will make your friends smile yet put it on FB with a few words about your dinner and they will all be envious (and probably will try the place within days). The lobster is served with a choice of three sauces -  sweet chili, Hollandaise and our favourite Thermidor with a touch of mustard. Other great ideas -  the possibility to have crab instead or even a plate of both steak and lobster.

Big Easy also is famous for their barbecued meat.  The house sauce is almost caramelised, slightly smoked. Some cross the whole town for it. “We Serve Only The Biggest & The Best”, they say and they do not lie. The portions are gorgeous AND amazingly huge. Still no meat lover would accept to leave a single forkful of it.  The menu offers a selection of back ribs, chicken, combination of both and even a version with grilled shrimps, each with creamy coleslaw, fries (French or thick) and BBQ beans to die for. It has a Western movie dimension to it, cowboys sitting close to a camp fire on a starry night.

Keep some space for dessert, if only to share the waffles. Apple-cinnamon, strawberry-sugar syrup, chocolate sauce, each matched to a crunchy basket filled with vanilla ice-cream. So lovely you will want to order another one. Share? Ah, what a silly idea that was.

Before coming for lunch or dinner, don’t forget to check the deal of the day on the website. On Mondays for example, you can indulge in the “All you can eat BBQ” for £14.95, beer included. I do not know any guy who would refuse such an offer. On some evenings, there will also be live music -  just the perfect place to celebrate life with friends, an address to cherish.

Big Easy
332-334 Kings Road
Chelsea
London, SW3 5UR

Those headphones always make me smile – a modern halo…

Fascinated but the Jubilee celebrations? This Thursday, the condown begins – only 60 days left before the Queen’s 60 years of reign. Go and raise your glass to the royal couple at Gordon’s Wine Bar. Look at the walls – historical covers of the Daily Mail present some of the most marking moments of Elisabeth II’s life. Cheers, your majesty! Want more ideas for the week-end? Scroll down:

Yummy time ahead:
* Hoorray! It is free cone day with Ben & Jerry’s.
* Add an exotic touch with this African market.
* Hips, an adult egg hunt with cocktails.

That’s art baby!
* Damien Hirst, the polemical artist, opens his retrospective at the Tate.

Take the little ones along:
* Oh! A Lindt chocolate egg hunt!
* Not interested in the boat race? Discover the goat race in Hackney city farm on Sunday.
* If you loved the Secret Cinema, rejoyce. The Future Cinema has launched some morning sessions in the same spirit, meant for families. And believe me, Bugsy malone at the Troxy is worth making a detour for.
* Enjoy a family tour of Wembley with the Beano tour.

Out of the ordinary:
* Boring bingo? Try this Indie version on Thursday!
* On Thursday and Friday, go and play at the Old Vic Tunnels: volley-ball, badmington,campfire, ping-pong, deckchairs…
* Did you know there was a huge coffee culture in London a long time ago? Learn more with this walk through the city.
* Remember the roof garden planted last year for the Festival of Britain on the top of Royal Festival Hall? It is reopening this Saturday and is a lovely place to enjoy a Pimm’s with a view.
* Don’t miss the boat race between Oxford and Cambridge.
* Sunday, see the whole first season of Twin Peaks again at the Chapel Cinema. Oh, and a slice of cherry pie is included in the ticket.
* Try this app which tells you about the dark little stories of London.

Street art or the skill to surprise walkers buy each time they turn a corner…

I fall in love with each new Osprey collection. From one season to another, I admire the love for details, a shape, a buckle, the daring colours, the ethnic touches, drak leather and leopard, croc declines in any tint you can think of… The Saint Albans boutique, part of a renovated barn, is the most atmospheric with its home feeling. There is extraordinary furniture there, jewels made of wood and semi-precious gems, bed throws made of extr-soft fur, the new creations of course, and past ones at fantastic sale prices. And so you go round in circles, you’d like one for each of your dress or nail varnish. Oh yes, you will happily collect Osprey bags…

Can’t resist it? The leather goods are also widely distributed in London & around the country.

Osprey Home
The Saddlery,
Woodcock Hill,
Coopers Green Lane,
St Albans,
Hertfordshire, AL4 9HJ

Canary Wharf seems, from a distance a futuristic forest of glass towers. Without working there, it is easy to imagine a constant current of commuters, tube-work-sleep, grey and silver, no fun. It is however an amazing place with green spaces, fountains, sculptures.  The Thames is nearby, restaurants open on terraces, families come over the week-end with bikes and buggies to enjoy the promenade. At the week-end, the neighbourhood switches to a softer mood -  so why not start the day with a brunch at The Parlour?

This fabulous address belongs to the Drake & Morgan family and you probably already know The Refinery, The Folly, The Anthologist and The Drift. Each has its own very original and design universe, different all along the room. You can lose track of time by looking at all the details, the cocoon atmosphere. The Parlour mixes inspiration from home and garden in the furniture, summer colour aniseed, sky blue, bright yellow, aromatic herbs on the tables, comfy armchairs and sofas, a play on heights. The result is a very refreshing alfresco effect.

Here, the art of breakfast cocktails is brought to perfection -  the perfect festive note for a brunch. At the heart of the room is a counter displaying all the ingredients of a Bloody Mary. Oh, not only the usual recipe, a whole list of alternatives: whisky, tequila, sauvignon rather than vodka, pickles, clamato juice. Change a tiny detail and you rediscover it entirely. The same, yet entirely different -  a cryptic sentence that suddenly means something. The menu proposes, amongst many others, the Celery Mary (Ketel One vodka,  tomato and celery juice,  lemon juice, strawberry basalmic vinegar, salt, pepper and tabasco) and the Caprese Mary (Ketel One vodka,  tomato and celery juice, basil julienne, strawberry basalmic vinegar, cherry tomatoes, celery salt, black pepper). Each week, new creations are put forward or if a specific idea really intrigues you, ask them! I really fell for the Kimchi Mary (£8.95) which marries sake, tomato and celery juice, wasabi, Szechuan pepper, rice wine vinegar and pickled ginger. Extraordinary. Your tastebuds suddenly wake up, wasabi and ginger just enhancing all the senses, you feel completely re-energised.

Other breakfast concoctions also are available with new options each week-end. The one below is a breakfast martini (£7) – chilled, sweet, bourbon and vanilla, crowned with a egg-based foam so velvety it feels like a carress on the lips. Served with bacon, it brings an amazing sweet-salt taste and quite a range of textures. Naughty but nice, very well said indeed and so worth a try!

Is it too early for alcohol yet? You are not doomed to the usual orange juice. see this one? This is a Juice Pharmacy (£4.50) with green apple, raspberry and celery. Amazing as each taste is very clear for a couple seconds then blends it wonderfully together. Thirst-quenching and I would not mind getting those in a jug, you just want more of it. Orange juice? Ah! Boring!

On that day, the team were filming demonstrations of the new creations to go on the menu. We were lucky to taste a few like Away with the fairies, which composition escapes me but which evokes spring mornings, bright and cheerful, full of flavours.  Down the rabbit hole will amaze you too: a very clever mix of limoncello and poppy liqueur. Floral, a little bubble-gum-like, one of those drinks that make you lick your lips. The last one will go on the dessert cocktails list and oh, do I love that concept! Perfect where you can’t manage the chocolate fondant but can’t resist a sweet finish either. Like, mmmh, the crème brûlée martini,  or the maple-espresso version… Ours had sherry, cream and coffee, slight caramel note, lingers on the tongue… the cute bottle is topped with an ice-cream cone and tequila chantilly (yeah, wow, right?) and a flake. Not a basic chocolate one, no, every little detail matters: a brownie one.

English breakfast is a must but let’s be frank, on a plate it does not look very glamorous. The Parlour has thought of those wooden boards instead and each separate part suddenly looks very elegant. You can make your ideal version too as each ingredient exist as extra.

The classic are all there: Florentine eggs or Benedict, scrambles (with or without salmon), boiled with soldiers. Bacon or sausage sandwich, bubble and squeak but also steak with roasted potatoes. Mouthwatering -  if you cannot make up your mind, have a look at the open kitchens, maybe this will help! We loved the very last choice Californian Kick Start (£7.95). Delicious AND healthy -  what more could you wish for? English muffin, hummus, avocado, flat mushroom, roasted plum tomatoes, poached eggs and a sweet chili toast. Gorgeous.

Depending at which time you arrive, you could mix both the breakfast and lunch options. Like those delicious crab raviolis that make in the mouth, such a tender heart, a little pesto. Add a few leaves from the herbs on the table -  fresh basil on this is divine. Don’t worry, the plants have been thought this way so enjoy!

The chef believes in fresh products only, on home made sauces. He also is incredibly creative -  an idea a minute! The specials are really worth the detour. Those are rich scallops brushed with a tangy barbeque sauce on an unctuous mash hiding a heart of lobster and drizzled with truffle oil, to alternate with a tomato salsa (£13.95). Such a range of luxurious tastes, sublime.

The most delicious experience, excellent background music too, classics, a little jazz too -  we arrived at 13.00 and did not leave before 16.30… I will definitely come back to try the speakeasy, a hidden dimmed room, open on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The other days, you can book it to enjoy a romantic cocktail.

The Parlour also opens up on Canada Square -  think terrace, green lawn and recently installed a fun musical sculpture. And soon, with the days getting longer, there will be a barbeque/rotisserie option outside too. That’s it – summer meeting place found. Believe me you will be back again and again. So much to try and always a surprise! Also a good place to start a walk from Canary Wharf to Tower Bridge.

The Parlour
The park pavilion,
40 canada square park,
London e14 5fw

Look. This is my secret weapon for challenging weeks. You know, those when files build a China wall around you. This perfect butter and honey flajack, with a layer of caramel, another of chocolate, sprinklend with hazelnuts and pistachios take all the trouble away, one bite at a time. Of course, you have used more than your calorie allowance but yes, it is that good, even if it seems simple enough. Stock on those at Prêt-à-manger. And to burn the extra energy, choose in the week-end ideas below!

That’s art baby:
* On Thursday, dress 1930ies style to see the Mondrian exhibition.
* Friday, the late evening of the V&A celebrates Persia.
* A musical sculpture in Canary Wharf? Now that will make you love modern art.

Yummy time ahead:
* A speakeasy behind a sex-shop in Soho, how intriguing!
* The food market on Southbank will be all about chocolate this week-end.
* Indulge at the chocolate lab too. They even do brunches.
* The best Sunday idea ever -  a roast with a “Make your own Bloody Mary” option. And a kids club!

Take the little ones along:
* The Harry Potter studios are opening on Saturday – magic!
* Dimanche, sortez les cerfs-volants.On Sunday, go and fly a kite.

Out of the ordinary:
* Try Kicktable - an amazing way to discover new skills or share yours.
* Revise your London ABC.
* Kensington Palace has reopened, even more magical than before.

The courtyard of the Somerset House is filled with thousands of clay daffodils, 10 000 to be exact, created by the Chilian artist Fernando Casasempere. Symbol of the constant renewal of nature and timeless nature of art, those blooms seem to look out for the sun, soaking every ray. A few tables have been set outside so do get a coffee and piece of cake from Tom’s Deli and just enjoy the moment…

Out of sync
Somerset House
Strand
London WC2R 1LA
Free, until April 27, 2012

You can count on Tom and Ed Martin, the gastropub stars, to amaze you. Each new address seems to be even better than the previous one when you did not think it possible. They just get everything right. The Jugged Hare is probably the most atmospheric, the best of the British touch. It has the warm, homey and welcoming feeling of a pub, lots of dark wood, beers taps with gorgeous enamel levels, beers from the Redemption Brewing Company, the Sambrooks Junction brewery, the house one too, a pale ale with citrus and spice notes. There is a touch of mystery too, with the fascinating collection of animals around the bar that just catch the eye, initiate the conversation with complete strangers, such beautiful poses, oh, have you see the robin? The hedgehog? People stay there, pint in hand, admiring, chatting. A little bit further is a magnificent wine cellar.  The gourmet attitude rules here, the staff know their wine and cheese to perfection. The menu follows seasons, puts British artisans forward, forgotten ingredients too such as dandelion in salads. Dishes appeal to timeless traditions with modern skills -  from Yorkshire wood pigeon and lentil dripping to diver scallops, mussels and brown shrimp gratin via a nettle, onion, blue cheese and quail egg tart… At the heart of the room is the rôtisserie -  just follow your nose, it is just impossible to resist. The meat is roasted slowly and oh, you just want to try this. On the launch night, we were all queuing for it -  so much fragrance, so juicy! One bite and you join the crowd again. You haven’t finished your first bun but you already want some more. Chips are served with gravy from the roast too. Just a few minutes from the Barbican – this is THE place to wow any of your friends. The quality of a top restaurant with the atmosphere of a Victorian pub. Splendid, just splendid.

The Jugged Hare
49 Chiswell Street
London, EC1Y 4SA

A few more addresses by Tom and Ed Martin this way.