Monday, September 26, 2011
22 September 2011
One final treat before we pack and head for home, organized by Jenn, and enjoyed by all of us. A visit to the Moorcroft factory, in Stoke on Trent. Not allowed to take photos inside, but we spent over three hours on a guided tour of the production of Moorcroft pottery, still hand made in the same manner as it was produced over 120 years ago.
20 September
Today starts out quietly, but plenty of surprises in store for the evening.
A surprise trip planned up-town for a final birthday celebration, so off to the station for the 5.50pm to Kings Cross.
Mar had been saying that Jenn really should see St. Pancras station before we leave. So – that’s just coincidentally where we were headed, meeting up with sister Debbie on the train (surprise!), nephew Luke at Kings Cross station (surprise!), then walking the short distance to the St. Pancras and its Hotel, currently ranked London’s top hotel.
Designed by Gilbert Scott and opened originally in 1873, the hotel has undergone a £220million renovation over ten years, re-opening just last May.
There in the Lobby Bar, who should we ‘bump into’ but cousin Lindsey, with son Lawrence and daughter Aimee!
Jenn and Luke figured out they hadn’t seen each other for at least five years
But enough chat – time for dinner at the Gilbert Scott restaurant, housed inside the hotel.
The Gilbert Scott is a collaboration with the renowned Marcus Wareing, one of London's very best chefs.
Marcus Wareing's menu is a good read, with dishes which sound Olde Worlde in the Heston Blumenthal way. They are inspired by historic British recipes, yet the dishes we tried were modern interpretations.
But rather than a table in the restaurant proper, we trooped below stairs to the kitchen, for our very own private setting, where, in the words of the restaurant itself :
“Our lively Kitchen Table is the ideal place to share a relaxed afternoon or evening with friends. This spacious table is surrounded by walls of wine in the "engine room" (the kitchen) of the restaurant."
The buzz of the kitchen creates a fantastic atmosphere from the intimacy of our own private space. The chefs share the event, bringing food directly to the table. The arc-shaped table seats up to 10 with the whole party facing towards the kitchen for a birds-eye view of the brigade.
mouthwatering, even in a photo!
All served directly from the pan and grill by our very own personal server, Nick, who inadvertently managed to spill wine on himself!
The icing on the cake, but not the end of the evening.
Then, with the kitchen closing and cleaning up for tomorrow, an invitation by Chef Oliver Wilson to take a tour, a mass of high tech equipment in gleaming stainless steel.
A freshly created ham and veal pie for tomorrow’s diners . . .
and a mega stock pot!
Finally, time to leave . . .
. . .but still time for a little more larking about
"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them"
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82)
A surprise trip planned up-town for a final birthday celebration, so off to the station for the 5.50pm to Kings Cross.
Mar had been saying that Jenn really should see St. Pancras station before we leave. So – that’s just coincidentally where we were headed, meeting up with sister Debbie on the train (surprise!), nephew Luke at Kings Cross station (surprise!), then walking the short distance to the St. Pancras and its Hotel, currently ranked London’s top hotel.
Designed by Gilbert Scott and opened originally in 1873, the hotel has undergone a £220million renovation over ten years, re-opening just last May.
There in the Lobby Bar, who should we ‘bump into’ but cousin Lindsey, with son Lawrence and daughter Aimee!
Jenn and Luke figured out they hadn’t seen each other for at least five years
But enough chat – time for dinner at the Gilbert Scott restaurant, housed inside the hotel.
The Gilbert Scott is a collaboration with the renowned Marcus Wareing, one of London's very best chefs.
Marcus Wareing's menu is a good read, with dishes which sound Olde Worlde in the Heston Blumenthal way. They are inspired by historic British recipes, yet the dishes we tried were modern interpretations.
But rather than a table in the restaurant proper, we trooped below stairs to the kitchen, for our very own private setting, where, in the words of the restaurant itself :
“Our lively Kitchen Table is the ideal place to share a relaxed afternoon or evening with friends. This spacious table is surrounded by walls of wine in the "engine room" (the kitchen) of the restaurant."
The buzz of the kitchen creates a fantastic atmosphere from the intimacy of our own private space. The chefs share the event, bringing food directly to the table. The arc-shaped table seats up to 10 with the whole party facing towards the kitchen for a birds-eye view of the brigade.
mouthwatering, even in a photo!
All served directly from the pan and grill by our very own personal server, Nick, who inadvertently managed to spill wine on himself!
The icing on the cake, but not the end of the evening.
Then, with the kitchen closing and cleaning up for tomorrow, an invitation by Chef Oliver Wilson to take a tour, a mass of high tech equipment in gleaming stainless steel.
A freshly created ham and veal pie for tomorrow’s diners . . .
and a mega stock pot!
Finally, time to leave . . .
. . .but still time for a little more larking about
"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them"
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-82)
Friday, September 23, 2011
18 September
Dawn, and we’ve spent the night crossing Switzerland and the Alps without a glimpse, now well into France.
Our next stop, Gare de l’Ouest, Paris.
Time to stretch ourselves again . . . .
. . .and actually visit Paris, for a few moments!
Then back aboard . . .
through a Dining Car or two . . .
then the Bar Car
. . . time for a rest . . .
before brunch!
Smoked salmon on a bed of scrambled egg
or perhaps gaspatcho and avocado soup with sweet peppers?
Then, all too suddenly, we’re in Calais, disembarking to transfer to buses taking us aboard the Channel tunnel train . . .
. . . to Folkestone, England, where we board a British Pullman train bound for London . . . but not before we consume a high tea of scones and clotted cream!
all too soon to see familiar London sights (Pink Floyd anyone?) . . .
and pull into Victoria station, our final destination.
So ends a most memorable journey. Almost two days aboard the Orient Express service from Venice to London, more normally made these days via high speed express trains in a matter of hours. Who needs to rush?
But that's not the end of the tale . . .
Our next stop, Gare de l’Ouest, Paris.
Time to stretch ourselves again . . . .
. . .and actually visit Paris, for a few moments!
Then back aboard . . .
through a Dining Car or two . . .
then the Bar Car
. . . time for a rest . . .
before brunch!
Smoked salmon on a bed of scrambled egg
or perhaps gaspatcho and avocado soup with sweet peppers?
Then, all too suddenly, we’re in Calais, disembarking to transfer to buses taking us aboard the Channel tunnel train . . .
. . . to Folkestone, England, where we board a British Pullman train bound for London . . . but not before we consume a high tea of scones and clotted cream!
all too soon to see familiar London sights (Pink Floyd anyone?) . . .
and pull into Victoria station, our final destination.
So ends a most memorable journey. Almost two days aboard the Orient Express service from Venice to London, more normally made these days via high speed express trains in a matter of hours. Who needs to rush?
But that's not the end of the tale . . .
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