London: Tea Time in Wonderland

I miss, from Paris, going for a brunch on week-ends. It made waking-up easy, breakfast was to be a feast, you would meet up with friends and chat forever. From one place to another, the menu would be different, exotic, poetic, home-made, so much to choose from. It gave Sundays a touch of holiday feeling.

I found a similar atmosphere at Dishoom who does open for breakfast too. The very first Bombay café in London looks like a Parisian brasserie tinted with bollywood touches. Colourful posters, fun recommendations (No running away, no bare feet…), welcoming niches downstairs – you smile as soon as you enter. Victim of its success, the address often is full in the evening so mornings are a great time to enjoy it with no buzzing conversations intefering with yours.

Forget English Breakfast! We love this Indian twist, much more fun to the palate. Bacon, yes, but served in the most tender naan with a touch of chilli jam (£3.50). Enjoy every bite of the aromatic omelette (£4.90), a bit spicy (but you can ask for a milder version) with its roasted, juicy vine tomatoes. Sweet tooth? Go for the roomali (£4.90) a thin bread with vanilla mascarpone and extra fresh fruit, mango, raspberries, blueberries… Very refreshing a great way to stock up on vitamins for the day. Add some chai, served in transparent glasses or go for the chocolate version of the drink, great on a rainy day.

You’ll also find their ssummer pop-up on Southbank as they are taking part in the festival of Britain. Walk through the corridor framed by blue ribbons finished with tiny bells and singing softly in the breeze. Nice recyling deco – a wall is entirely made of rolled-up newspapers, overturned barrels with bright colours serve as stools…. The Dishoom favourites are on the menu from sausage naans to daal via calamaris. Anf of course some nice cocktails, including a Bombay Pimm’s. Open till minight Sundays to Thursdays and 01.00am Fridays-Saturdays.

Dishoom
12 Upper St. Martin’s Lane
London WC2H 9FB
Breakfast served till 11.00 weekdays, 13.00 week-ends

Chowpatty Beach Bar
Queen Elisabeth Hall Terrace
Southbank Centre
London SE1 8XX
Until October 04, 2011

Global warming and its consequences, by being talked over and over often bore the public. We know we should care, we know it is coming our way and we should do something but at the same time, the idea seems pretty distant. Yeah, we’ll start tomorrow.

This small exhibition puts art in the equation to show to illustrate ice melting, Thames overflowing, population left to use any left space to survive. In 16 views, no matter how utopic the view is, London is quite something else.

Postcard from the future – Until May 30, 2011- free
National Theatre
Southbank
London
SE1 9PX

When you have lived in London a while and taken quite a few friends on the London Eye, the view on the Parliament and Big Ben lose a bit of their charm. But with summer days, look the other side: the park lawn is invaded for pinics, reads in the sun, chats… Zoom and find fun details – like this group of friends suddenly jumping into a choregraphy! A great way to keep the little ones smiling as they sometimes find the ride a bit long:

1951. A very austere time. So many fathers, brothers, sons, friends , fiancés did not come back from the war. It takes time for the wounds to heal., for the country to rebuild what was lost. To redefine itself too. After fighting for their values, the question is left unanswered: what does “Being British” mean? Think about it – many are under two flags: Ireland/Scotland/Wales/Commonwealth and England. Great melting pot of traditions.

That year is launched the Festival of Britain, meant to help turn a page. By celebrating Great Britain and its inhabitants, it will bring optimism and creativity back. Southbank builds up, the efforts are comparable toth – ththose of a universal exhibition – look at this video to get an idea! The most famous was the skylon a rocket/cigar kind of tower. The telekinema was partocularly successful – at that time TV was still very young… Of all this only one thing remains: the Royal Festival Hall. This concrete building makes so much more sense when you think of it as an exhibition space: many entrances for maximum access to the public, many glass windows to make a visual link with everything happening outside.

Southbank opens this Friday a new version of this festival. Smaller, the space around is of course more limited, less grand too but the idea remains: bring forward meeting spaces, bring friends and family together, give them a chance to learn, discover something new on their way. The list of happenings is long and will last until September 04, 2011.

A few ideas we particularly loved:

- The museum of 1951: many people loaned their memorabilia of the event. Programs, posters, merchandising… Quite fascinating. The film projections give you a better understanding of it too – this is so different from the views we know it felt like seeing an old sci-fi movie to me!

- The festive feeling along the Thames: the longest bunting, 14 beach huts decorated by artists, an appearing-disappearing fountain, 70m of beach for the kids and deckchairs for the parents, retro vans selling ice-creams, fish and chips, pop-corn… Dishoom, London’s Bombay café will even have a pop-up there soon. On the program too: a mini fun fair and the Udderbelly, this concert and show space in the shape of an overturned lilac cow.

- Here and there, photographies, art, sculptures… that take you to floors you usually ignore.

- A Market will also be there every week-end behing the Royal Festival Hall. A modern bandstand is in place and will be welcoming musical groups for everyone pleasure.

- Many British artists will join in. Our favourite will be 0n May 09th, Heston Blumenthal will tell us all about afternoon teas and the 1950ies sherry parties. he ticket is a bit expensive but will include a sherry tasting.

- We loved the Queen Elisabeth hall garden roof – open to the public for the first time. The Eden project team has just finished adding lawn, vegetable patches, flower sets near the mini-bar. Very relaxing and a nice view too. Believe me, it is lovely to sit there in the sun with an ice-cream.

- Each week-end will be themes differently. Guitar, litterature, traditional music… We are quite looking forward to the vintage one which will cover fashion, films, danc, music from the 20th century (July 29-31)

And so many other things! Summer will definitely be under the Festival of Britain sign.

What a dream, it does feel like summer ! T-shirts and beach dresses are out. You’d better eat those Easter chocolates quick or they’ll melt before the hunt has begun…

Put that suncream in your bag and pick a few ideas:

* Are flashmobs dead? Not at all! Meet tomorrow (Thursday, April 21) at Pierre Garroudi‘s gallery at 16.00. Him and his 20 models wearing bright red creations will take London streets as an amzing catwalk stage. Arrival planned at Trafalgar Square between 17.00 and 18.00.

* Southbank opens on Friday a huge festival, inspired by the 1951 and meant to celebrate the British culture. Over the next 4 months there will be a beach atmosphere, Indian street food, a fun fair and each week-end will provide animations on different themes…

* Every year, the British Museum and Kew Gardens work together on a themed garden. Australia is the new guest of honour.

* St Georges Day may not bring an extra day off but it is no reason not to celebrate!

* Blue sky and bright sun usually mean great thirst. Why not cheer the weather with a royal pub crawl? Alternativerly, get a beard and a toge, it’s all for a good cause and your pint will taste even better for it.

* Trafalgar Square is so trendy that even Jesus will stop there this week-end. No kidding.

* Do you live in east London? There’s plenty of chocolate your way.

* Until now, our favourite bubble tea place was the Candy Café. Will this new address in Soho win over?

* We had fallen in love with Gina Foster‘s hat creations. We are not the only ones – she seems to be pretty busy for the royal wedding…

* Don’t forget your camera on Sunday: Easter Bunnies will be skating through Hyde Park!

* Royal wedding cakes are all the craze. Go and see this free exhibition that recreates the most amazing ones, including a Buckingham Palace made of sugar.

* Discover the keys ceremony at the London Tower.

* Hendrick’s will mix new cocktails at Selfridges, served in teapots: gin-champagne-elderflower liqueur. Cheers, my dear!

* You can now enjoy Pimm’s on the London Eye.

What about you? London or countryside escape?

The Real food Festival regularly brings a highlight to Southbank. It may not be very big but the stalls gather all kind of savoury and sweet crafts that are worth discovering.
Themes vary, of course -  this week-end is chocolatey, Easter being so close. And yes, you can lick your lips in anticipation!

A few things to try:

- Niko B‘s creations: fig, lemon-ginger-pepper, burnt caramel-lemon, mint-raspberry, chai, tyme-lime…
- Cocoa Magic‘s lovely alliances: coconut-cherry, chilli-mint, cardamom-pistachio…
- Beautiful jewels, as if handpainted by Baruzzo…
- Mexican dishes with a chocolate twist…
- Café On‘s 20 different macaroons – they will also propose today macarons and ice-cream sandwiches!
- The amazing cheesecake collection by The Sweet Tooth Factory – they had a Toblerone one yesterday, yummy…
- Absolutely anything/everything from The Choc Star Van, from brownies to ice-cream. We’re big fans of Petra.
- Hotel Chocolat and William Curley (and so many more!) also present their collections.

Too hot for truffles and cakes? try this:

- We fell in love with Jaz & Jul’s pinachocalada – chocolate and pineapple: a match in heaven. They also do a range of flavoured iced chocolates.
- Choccy Woccy also proposes Snickers, Mars or Bounty milkshakes. And cocktails! Chili-mint-vodka-Bayley’s, rum-butterscotch schnapps-chocolate or vodka-coffee liquor-chocolate. Hips!
- Discover The Meantime Brewery‘s very refreshing beers. (Although for the chocolate one, walk a bit further on Southbank and prefer the Double Chocolate stout at the Founders Arms. Sunny terrace included!)

And if you are not totally saturated yet, go for a chocolate lunch at The Rabot Estate in Borough Market – savoury and sweet adventures to be had there!

Find your sunglasses! The week-end should see temperatures of 20 degrees AND a bright sunhine!
Yes, in London.

Head for your nearest park, walk along the Thames, find a rooftop or a beergarden!

- On Thursday, free cocooning and £4 cocktails – girls only.

- Revamp your wardrobe with Paul Smith without breaking the bank…

- Celebrate the Thai new year -  zen and exotic. A great opportunity to discover the Buddhist temple in Wimbledon.

- Southbank chocolate festival is back…

- Rediscover circus…  hip-hop version!

- Remember The Adventurists? Come and see movies of their trips and experiences. Of course, there will be the ever-so-perfect cocktails by Hendrick’s…

- Fill-up with caffeine…

- Love Italian cinema? This way for spaghettis-movies…

- Be curious about Tower Bridge…

- Walk to your nearest market…

- Stroll along the canal…

- Time Out just updated their list of cheap eats – ideal, we will need to test/taste them all!

- Get inspired by the elegance of Chinese arts…

- Get the kites out!

- Feel like a kid again with The Muppets…

- Prepare your summer agenda: Tom Jones, the Gipsy Kings and James Blunt will be in concert @ Kenwood House…

- Pssst: free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream on April 12 and 27…

- Planning a ride on the London Eye with the kids? The Easter Bunny has lost his favourite tea set – try and look for it in the landscape around the wheel and tweet the pics to @thelondoneye referencing #easterlondoneye. Who knows, you might win a family ticket!

Hunting for macaroons, crumbles, cupcakes… certainly is pretty easy in London – the one for cheesecake proves more challenging. The texture often is disappointing: bland, crumbly, too creamy. When favoured, the taste gets too sugary, almost sickening. Only Ottolenghis really won my heart (or stomach), light, fragrant, smooth, the cheesecake deli.

The Real Food Market on Southbank always has a few surprises in store. The Sweet Tooth Factory’s range really is a must-stop. 32 cheesecakes. From pistachio to Kinder Bueno, via green tea, Macadamia nuts, banoffe, Matelsers, Oreos, mango…

Two seconds and I was walking away with a piece of Ferrero Rocher treat. The cream was dense, heavy as it should be, melting nicely. Pieces of the chocolate candy were included which made the texture much more interesting and the sweetness just balanced rather than overwhelming. But gosh, it is very filling and it is worth sharing it with a friend!

They will be present at the Chocolate Festival this week-end (and so will be Café On and their fab macaroons)– worth getting a piece then sit close to the Thames for a sunny picnic…

Sweet Tooth Factory
No boutique/café yet, but look out for their events on their FB / Twitter
£3.50 the slice

What a week! I have cheered spring, friendship, the royal wedding to come, the wonderful Irish people, summer collections and treats from the South of France… Tell me, what will you celebrate this week-end?

- It’s St Patrick’s! Why not try Chin Chin Lab‘s special ice cream for the occasion? The Black Velvet mixes Guinness, Monmouth espresso,Whiskey, & Chocolate Cake!
- Cakes and sushis unite for the best cause this Friday…
- Bee happy! This pop-up willl be honey sweet from jellies to cocktails!
- Pet Shop Boys in a musical – strange but it does look pretty good…
- Spot the difference…
- This week-end, the Slow Food Market is all about cheese and wine… Café On will be there too with their gorgeous macaroons.
- Why wait for the desert to enjoy cupcakes?
- The Somerset House turns artistic…
- Love skate-boarding? Take note of that one…
- The Grant Museum reopens..
- Bea’s launches a Mad Hatter party…
- One of Hyde Park’s little secrets…
- Wouldn’t that go well with a sophisticated coffee?
- How about trying the Nomad Cinema?
- You can now enjoy Lily Vanilli’s cakes at Drink, Shop & Do before jumping in a Eurostar!

Pssst: For the royal wedding, get yourself a tent…