An Improved Cinema Experience?

Are you tired of the Cineworld multiplex experience with the long queues at the concession stand, the stinky nachos and over-priced popcorn? Well, there’s an alternative. The Firmdale Film Club. For a mere £15 per person you can enjoy a latest blockbuster or a cult classic in a much more civilised setting at one of the fabulous Firmdale Hotels in London. Here’s what you can expect:

Paris: Lovers not locks welcome

As a frequent visitor to Paris, I’m sad to read of the city officials’ decision to remove the hundreds of thousands of ‘love locks’ from Pont des Arts bridge. “It’s the end of padlocks” says mayor Bruno Julliard. Apparently the added weight of the countless locks poses a risk to the structure and people on boats sailing by underneath the famous bridge.

Pont des Arts bridge in Paris, France. Photo by me.

An end of an era for couples who continue to flock the city of love, looking to secure (pardon the pun) never-ending love by putting a lock on the bridge and throwing the key into the river Seine.

Finland? More like Saunaland

Did you know there are over 3 million saunas in Finland? For a country with less than 5.5 million people, that’s a lot. There are more saunas than cars! With an estimated 10 million saunas in the entire world, Finland is truly the land of sauna.

Sauna cabin by the lake.

Taberna do Mercado – A Portuguese Tavern in Spitalfields Market

I received a message from a dear friend the other day, saying that she would like to treat me to a belated birthday dinner. She told me to meet her at Taberna do Mercado at 6.15 pm, and that they wouldn’t accept reservations for dinner. No reservations? Two weeks after its opening?! I hoped it wasn’t going to be another Breakfast Club experience where you queue for an hour and then get told to eat faster so they can serve more people. Considering that Taberna do Mercado is the brain child of Nuno Mendes, of Chiltern Firehouse fame, I was anticipating similar celebrity buzz and wannabe crowds. I could not have been more wrong.

My love for photography runs deep

I’ve loved photography for as long as I can remember. The 15 rolls of film I wasted (I mean shot) on holiday in Tenerife 25 years ago, the countless hours I spent in the school darkroom developing film for art class projects, or the few thousand photos I took at a wedding and spent a solid week editing, there has always been something about photography that captivates me. One reason must be that it allows me to hide behind the lens, to be the quiet observer instead of being the centre of attention which I don’t particularly care for.  I am, essentially, a quiet, socially awkward person.

Wow – this is getting deep and slightly off topic… Let’s get back to photography, shall we?

Prosciutto ham, feta and olive salad

Sorry about all these food pictures flooding in. I do have proper posts coming soon but it’s hard to find the time to finalise them.

After another gym session I had a craving for prosciutto ham so I quickly put this together: feta cheese, prosciutto ham and marinated green olives with rocket salad and sweet baby plum tomatoes. So good!

Prosciutto ham, feta cheese and olive salad

Smoked salmon and mozzarella salad

Here’s another amazingly simple lunch suggestion: smoked salmon and mozzarella salad. Garnish with a bit of high quality olive oil and a touch of black pepper. Ready to be devoured in two minutes.

  

Fried salmon with couscous

Here’s a quick, 10-minute lunch suggestion: fried salmon with lime and coriander couscous. Delicious and healthy! 

Pride in London 2015

The wait is almost over. With just under two months to go until the annual Pride festivities take over the streets of central London, it’s time to get organised and save these dates!

Pride in London is the city’s biggest one-day event, and one of the world’s biggest LGBT celebrations. In 2014 more than 750,000 people came to Pride in London, and 30,000 people joined the Parade. This year Pride in London takes place from 21st until 28th June, with the main events taking place on Saturday 27th June. Here’s what’s happening:

Lunch at The Savoy Grill

My partner and I recently had the opportunity to have lunch at the prestigious Savoy Grill Restaurant. Located at the Savoy Hotel, and currently run by the Gordon Ramsay organisation, Savoy Grill is one of London’s most legendary restaurants. Established in the 1920’s and frequented by such celebrities as Sir Winston Churchill, Oscar Wilde, Frank Sinatra and HM Queen Elizabeth (The Queen Mother), I had high expectations for both the service and the food. Sadly, I was to be disappointed.