Sunday, 18 January 2009

PVB 08-09

Between Christmas and New years we played golf, went to the beach, ran, walked, and just had fun.

However - prior to that we went with 4 friends to see Gordon Ramsay's Taste of Christmas... which just further reinforced our opinion of him and his restaurants. He is a D. (evidence below)


Sp - back to PVB... there are a few photos over the course of the week there that sum it up (why don't we have a photo of a giant sweet tea??)

Great weather:

Great food... this is a Prince Charles special that is obviously chuffed (see previous word o the day entry if explanation is needed) to have made the trip across:

and some dodgy golf swings! (no windows were broken - but we certainly made a solid effort!):


All good fun... including the web debut of J&K on youtube... I posted it, then was advised to take it down... so if anyone wants to see some massive guitar heroing - go to youtube and find my videos... it is best from about 2:10 on...

Wednesday, 14 January 2009

Hello...is this thing on?

In an attempt to discover who is reading this blog and know who you are, I've aded the 'follower' functionality.

If you could please...(pretty?) click on the 'follower' functionality on the top right side and register with your name and picture. It will be fun to see who's out there and motivating on the nights when we're tired, and want to go to bed, and are watching the icon spin as we upload pictures.

Thanks!

Tuesday, 13 January 2009

Trip "back home"

(This picture is from my Sons of the Thames, rowing club, holiday masked ball ----it's got nothing to do with this post...but thought it looked festive =)

Christmas started for us with a fantastic flight, and arrival into NYC for a 10:30 pm dinner at Babbo with Kerry and Kevin.

The next day, we met Rob and August for lunch at Republic in Union Square and a visit to the sweet Christmas market in the square. Mom, Dad and Karen joined us for dinner...and we had such fun with August as he was very excited about Santa and of course, about seeing Grandpa.

We spent the next few nights out on Long Island seeing John and Lisa, lunch at Reeses, a night visiting friends (Karen, Justin, Stacia, Doug, Jen and Matt and all of their children,) Christmas eve with Mary and Ken Johnson, and a big Christmas morning brunch with John and Lisa!

We were blessed to spend Christmas morning with my family before flying out of Islip to have Christmas dinner with the Church family! We we even able to fit in a trip to Target (where we stocked up on zip lock bags, method products, and cheese its...all the important things we can't get here.)
Link

Wednesday, 7 January 2009

The Gout!

Each time we see Kerry and Kevin - we eat like kings...and sometimes after we are together for a few days. it kinda feels like we are on a quest to mimic how the nathan's-hot-dog-eating-champion must feel when he (or she) gets home, kicks off their shoes and let's it all hang out.

It's our pursuit of 'The Gout'.

So, combine that feeling with a few weeks, (OK-months) of celebratory holiday event eating and drinking...and it's not a matter of if we're going to get The Gout, it's when.

In sharing recipes post-holidays and in trying to rid myself of those few extra mince-pie like additions I've been sporting on my form, I've been cooking a bit lighter since we got back to London. Well, I guess I should say I've been cooking. Period. No more eating out. It's back to basics, and back to controlling what goes into to a meal.

I hope you'll enjoy these few recipes which have become staples in our house, and that I've copied almost directly from Jamie Oliver. If you've visited us in Gates St, or Beaufort, or Belsize - you may have been served these...or the Wagamama-style asian soup that I make almost weekly.

Bon Appetit!

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Chili, Garlic Shrimp:

Ingredients:

-shrimp, peeled and de-veined (let's say a pound for this recipe...that's enough for two people if it's a main dinner.)
-1 large dried red chili, de-seeded and diced
-3-4 diced garlic cloves
-juice of 1 large lemon
-flat leaf parsley, (optional)
-toasted french, or whole wheat bread

Preparation:
1. combine garlic, chili and about 1-3 tablespoons of olive oil in pan over medium to high heat for about a minute
2. add shrimp, (make sure not to burn garlic) and saute until all shrimp are pink
3. once shrimp are cooked, squeeze in lemon juice and toss in chopped parsley (optional) to make a sauce
4. serve in bowl with sauce to spoon over toast

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Grilled Zucchini Salad

Ingredients
:
-4-6 zucchini, (sliced length-wise, very thinly. you can use a vegetable peeler or a mandolin.)
-1-2 large dried red pepper, (de-seeded and diced)
-4-6 sliced garlic cloves
-juice of 1-2 large lemons
-handful of chopped mint
-pecorino romano cheese, (use a vegetable peeler to peel into strips)

Preparation:

-Grill or roast zucchini strips in oven with light olive oil until they are slightly brown
-cool them in one layer (if they are stacked on top of one another, they get soggy)
-arrange on platter, with mint, cheese, and squeezed lemon juice
-toss the garlic and chilies over the top

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/soup-and-salad/courgette-salad-with-mint-garlic-red-chi

Thursday, 1 January 2009

A look back...


2008 was a wonderful year for us - we were able to really 'live' in London and enjoy travels, without the hassle of a big move, or an adjustment period.

It was a BUSY year for us. Here is a recap of all the travels and visits from family and friends as I can best remember.

We blogged 60 times, according to my Nike+ I ran 865 miles, we moved from Chelsea to Belsize Park, and TJ enjoyed a full year of Old Fold Manor.

2008 consisted of trips to Jacksonville, NY (5x), Paris (2x), Berlin (3x), Munich, Mykonos, Athens, Santorini, Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Katmandu, Nigeria, Israel (4x), Edinburgh, Cannes, Zermatt, Barcelona (3x), New Orleans, Vienna, Bristol, Brighton and Cambridge.

We had visits from my parent's, John and Lisa, Kerry, Maggie and Jon Fagan, Lauri, Christine, and Betsy and Chris.

We were able to attend Ascot in the Royal Enclosure, meet Joan Didion on the opening of 'A Year of Magical Thinking', attend Alyssa and Steve's wedding, take August on his first trip to the beach, play an amazing round at St. Andrews, and race in a rowing regatta.

We are blessed - and begin 2009 with a full list of places we want to visit, rested after a long visit with our families, and excited about what the new year will bring!!!!

Any votes as to where we should go in 2009?

Saturday, 20 December 2008

Betsy & Chris

My cousin Betsy and her husband Chris came to London from Ashland, Oregon for the first part of their London- Barcelona - Paris long holiday.


We had 3 days of long talks, sight-seeing, and long dinners.


It was like 'being home' to have time to connect with them again...to hear about their fantastic, active, beautiful life in Ashland, their future adventures and to get true time together.

I've always looked up to Bets and her sister Robin as the coolest people I knew....being with her makes my soul happy....and now sharing out lives as 'adults' is the greatest gift.

Heath - this time with Kona....

One of my new year's resolutions is to spend more time in the Heath. Morning walks before work, long trail runs, afternoon wanders....



Susan, and I went for a Friday walk with Kona - we saw packs of dogs he knows (out with their dog walkers,) and watched his infectious glee!







We celebrated with a late lunch at the Wells (ok, maybe it's a bit of an obsession,) where they served him water before we even were asked what we'd like.

Date Night.

I scheduled a night on the calendar (google calendar =) for a 'date night' - for us to grab some time amongst the packed holiday events to do something in the holiday spirit in London.

The conversation went something like :

"fun! what are we doing?"
"ice-skating - at the Tower of London"
"ahhh- do you know how to ice skate?"
"you don't?"
We have known each other for about 8 years now....

And this year I've learned at least two new things about my husband...


1. his voting record

2. That ice-skating was not a regular occurrence in his holiday schedule...

until now.

We had a reservation during the last time of the night. The rink was not too full, the views of the Tower were amazing, and neither of us fell.

It was a Christmas Miracle!

Thursday, 4 December 2008

Thanksgiving in Vienna!

In an effort to see a European Christmas Market and make the most of what would have been a typical 4 day weekend in the US, we booked a quick trip to Vienna for Thanksgiving, with time to get back for golf & rowing over the weekend.

We stayed in the Museum Quarter, and arrived on Wednesday night. We walked through the city, discovering a small tent in the middle of the museum square with a DJ and lots of people drinking gluwine in steamy cups in the cold.



The decorations around the city were amazing - and these little huts selling hot drinks were sprinkled through out the city. We had dinner at the wine bar at Meinl am Graben and walked through the Christmas market.




On Thursday we went to the Leopold Museum where we saw some amazing huge Klimt's. Then our friends Laura and John Charecky, (we met them through Kevin and Kerry and who amazingly live on the same street as us in London,) joined us in the afternoon.




We celebrated Thanksgiving together, with an amazing 8+ course menu, and plenty to be thankful for.



As the 4 of us missed our families tremendously on this holiday, it was truly a blessing to be together and to celebrate the holiday together in this city where it was, and was not Thanksgiving.

All pictures are here!

Tuesday, 2 December 2008

A walk in Hampstead Heath...

I had the most beautiful day a few weekends ago. TJ was playing golf, and I had come home with an afternoon to myself after an early morning rowing outing.

It was one of those crisp autumn days and there were just a few hours of day light left. I chose to go on a walk through the Heath with the reward of a late lunch.

Since we moved to this neighborhood last winter we have experienced this vast woodland in all the seasons.

Austere in winter
Flourishing in spring
Verdant in summer
Glorious in autumn

I try and run in the Heath at least once a week - and I always leave it thinking how amazing it is to have this amount of nature in the midst of this busy city.

It feels so typically 'English' to walk here. So many people use it as their back yard - dogs are running around, kids and couples fill the paths.


During this season of thanks - this afternoon reminded me of all the things I have to be thankful for -

this beautiful city
celebrating time alone
my sweet husband
our families
our friends
travels and adventures
After almost 2 years - discovering this park really makes me feel at home.

It was so nice to grab those quiet hours before the busy holiday events start.

I finished the afternoon at the Wells, with some mulled wine, and smoked haddock on champ with a mustard sauce. YUM!

All of the pictures from this walk are here.