NYLON...In Heels!

35. Drink at the Notting Hill Arts Club.

So I'll keep it short and simple.  This 101 thing mission gets mixed reviews .  NHAC didn't deliver on the promised band or underground talent, but DID offer on a night of cheap drinks with good friends, a few push-ups and lots of laughs. 

Thanks to the every adventurous Button, Lorna, Jess, Martin, and Mike for joining me for round after round of 'no-name' beer and 'moscow mule concoctions'.  We may not have danced the night away... but we certainly drank it!

t just goes to show: 

"It's not where you are, but who your with that really matters." 

34. Chill at the Big Chill House

What better way to kick off 'Selebration September' than with a few birthday drinks at the Big Chill House in honor of Lorna's September 1st birthday?  Sat in our own hidden alcove, the mid-week drinks were the perfect anecdote to ward off the early signs of post-summer blues.  This night out also marked the start of a busy social month as our last LON days draw near.

A shout out to Button and Clare for working their magic and getting the crew together to 'chill'.

39. Watch a movie and go for tea at the Charlotte Street Hotel

A huge THANK YOU to our dear friend Cat Powell who not only house-sat for us during our month abroad in April/May but also treated us on tea for two at the super chic Charlotte Street Hotel. 

Tea is one of my ultra-favorite fab things to do in the LON, and yet for all the teas I've taken at the Dorchester, the Berkley, the Covent Garden Hotel (oh the list goes on!!), Mike has NEVER had a proper English Tea in the whole five years he's been here!

Dining on tea sandwiches, scones, mini-cupcakes and more was an absolute delightful way to spend Bank Hols Monday.  And since the Charlotte Street flicks weren't on that day, we treated our gluttonous selves to a movie at the local Odeon.

TA Cat!  You were with us in spirit even though you've been living it up in Madrid!

23. Share a bottle of wine at Gordon's

"Friendship is like wine; it gets better as it grows older."

Established in 1890, Gordon's is the oldest wine bar in London.  Sitting in a cellar lit only by candle light, its the perfect place to sip on a glass of red after a long day and celebrate life, friendship and a birthday with friends.

Happy Birthday to Jenny who's celebration Lorna, Jenny, Mark and I toasted to at our cozy table for four.

30. Drink a cocktail at Lounge Lover

An impromptu night out started last Friday at Lounge Lover, #30 on my list of things to do, but #1 on my list of places to go for a drink. The swanky digs, where Madonna apparently celebrated her 48th b-day, has a funky and eclectic decor that pulls you in and a phenomenal cocktail menu that keeps you there.

Mike and I LOVED the cocktail list so much that we don't remember the names of our drinks ("Postcard from Rio" topped the list perhaps??) or to snap any paparazzi style pics. So above is what you get: a borrowed photo from Flikr, and a fuzzily written NYLON post to mark the LOVELY LOUNGE occasion. 

Thanks to my own LOVER for footing the cock-tail bill and coming along!

10. Eat fish & chips in Brighton.

 
So... some naysayers may say that actually checking this off "The List" doesn't really count.. but ya know, it's my list and so what I say goes.  What am I whinging about you might say, well #10, eat fish and chips in Brighton didn't really become a reality for me as I had to head home last minute.  But since it was all planned and ready to go, Mike and adventure seeking friends did go on without me.  And for surviving the trip, laying on the rocky beach, and even playing a bit of "crazy golf"... this one gets marked off as "crossed" in my book.

A big shoutout to Mike, Hannah, Huw, Kate, Alex, Jess, Larissa, Dave, and Tamsin for making all my fish and chip eating dreams come true.

Unlisted. Visit Rome, Sweet Rome.

 
Before we get too deep in posting about all the fun things being completed on "The List"... Let's pause for a quick minute to give Rome a shout out and thank that wonderful city for hosting Mike and I for a weekend early in July. 

To be fair, Rome needs much more than the two days we gave it to give it justice, but alas it was all we had to "rome" and eat our way thru this historical mecca.  Our base for the weekend was the ALEPH - a fab hotel that was converted from an old bank.

Our Birkenstock's were burnin' up the pavement covering the Vatican, St. Peter's, Sistine Chapel, The Colosseum, The Roman Forum, The Spainish Steps and the Trevi fountain eating no less than at least five pizzas and ten gelati's along the way.

Don't worry, we know we didn't see it all... we're savin' some for later!

33. Have a drink at the Routemaster in Shoreditch.

On a sunny Saturday, Tamsin and I tapped into our hipster side and headed down for an afternoon of fun and frolics in Shoreditch.  Following brunch at the Breakfast Club, we meandered our way from Old Street Station to Spitalfields and then on to Brick Lane where quenched our thirst with Organic Cider not in a pub or in a beer garden, but in the shabby chic parking lot behind the Truman Brewery that houses the  infamous Routemaster Restaurant.

It was here that we devised my cunning plan to make the master "list" and therefore, although I foolishly did not list it as number one, it is the first thing to be "checked off". 

As this say.. this is one bus worth catching at least once! Thanks for a great day Tamsy!

Hot & Spicy in Spain...and DC!

Our weekend jaunt to Madrid this weekend was filled with gorgeous food and delicious drink and lots OF SUN!  Mike and I may have a complete love affiar with each other, but we also have some room in the relationship for a continued love for Spain.  We spent the weekend eating churros (like the ones we served at our wedding!), drinking sangria, and eating manchengo, iberian jamon, and croquetas and exploring the city from the Palace Hotel.

The spicy Spanish fare reminded me of some exciting news that I wanted to share - the saucy Latin restruarant chain Cuba Libreexpanding to DC!  The new digs will be located in a U.S. Mint building on the corner of 9th & H streetsin the Penn quarter neighborhood near the Verizon Center and Washington D.C.’s new convention center, and offer open-air tropical ambiance, Latin rhythms and extensive selection of tropical cocktails and tantalizing fare.  

So if I can't make it to Spain, or Cuba, then I'll definitely be looking to hit up this muy caliente restuarant chain back in the US of A.

In a London Fog

Ok this country is so misty, cloudy, and foggy that, yes, even an outer wear company is named after the weather.  But did you know so is a Starbucks drink - and neither can be bought in jolly ole England?!

My Starbucks London Fog craving began after being convinced at the Starbucks at the Graves Hotel in Minneapolis (where I was hanging out for Jills weddin) to try one of their tea lattes. Not one to deviate from my grande mocha with an extra shot or tall wet skinny vanilla latte - I was skeptical at best over something made with tea!

But I must confess that this drink - not foggy in the least - is the perfect concoction of full leaf black tea with citrusy Italian Bergamot and a hint of lavender. Sweetened with vanilla syrup and topped with steamed milk and velvety foam.  Yum! Now that I've taught my local LongAcre Barrista how to make it - you can be sure rain or shine I'll be coming back for more!

Tea is a cup of life.  ~Author Unknown