PLEASE FORGIVE ME!

OH LAPOOP have I been neglecting you! So much to catch up on, will have to just give the highlights!

Saw Tom Ford's movie debut, A Single Man at The Electric last week with Liz and Sonia.  We wore our Tom Ford-esque black rimmed glasses for the occasion of course.  

Really loved the film visually and for the story.  Colin Firth was amazing, but Julianne Moore STOLE the show.  Also, could not BELIEVE the young hot student was the awkward kid from About A Boy.  He really FILLED out nicely.

Had a brunch and a dinner at Dean Street Townhouse - the latest installment from the Soho House Group.  Brunch was delish and fun, dinner was a bit of a disaster, as we were seated 45 minutes after our reservation time and the food was just so-so.  AND, in typical British fashion, nobody apologized or offered us free drinks.  Instead they gave us a crappy table and a snarky German waitress.  Tip deducted.

Next on the list, I got a nice little hair cut from Wanger at Aveda in Westbourne Grove, and have decided with the above pic as a haircut to aspire to.  

Dinner last Saturday, with fan favorites Natalia and Jason, at St. John Bread & Wine.  Never have a bad meal there.  End of.  AHAHAH that's what trashy British people say.

ALSO, attended a bday dinner in east London at Cantaloupe - food was fine, vibe was fun, loved the shot girls that walked around the bar like we were in Key West Spring Break circa 1998.


OMG. I almost forgot.  Phenomenal lunch in Primrose Hill at Melrose & Morgan, which is perhaps my favourite gourmet grocer in London. No. THE WORLD.  Amazing cheese scone sandwich with goats cheese and carmelized onions, salmon sandwich and fresh spinach salad.  For dessert super (hate the word, but have to do it) moist orange cake with rich chocolate icing.  I'm salivating as we speak.

There's more there's more! Last week grabbed a margarita solo at Crazy Homies, as I was ridiculously early per usual to meet a friend for burgers next door at Lucky 7.  Really enjoyed my drink and the vibe at CH, and of course Lucky 7 never disappoints.  It was crawling with Americans, which was so typically sad, but I suppose I can't really comment being one and all.

ALSO, had cocktails last night at Hix downstair's bar, Mark's Bar.  YUM! Great scene, excellent service and super delish drinks.

In other LaPoo's news, still loving the new job and gearing up for a trip to NYC and San Fran in a few weeks with the Mister! No exciting new purchases to report, but I feel one coming on any day now.  STAY TUNED!

LaPoo Is So En Vogue

I can't believe I have waited this long to mention the poo article in the March issue of Vogue!! British Vogue that is.  It's all about how girls actually do poo!  It starts off talking about how most girls don't like to talk about it or do it in front of anyone, etc.  I was getting really nervous that I was a freak, but don't worry. The second half is all girls that don't care who knows, who sees, blah blah blah.  PHEW.  Anyway, I really enjoyed it.  ALSO, really enjoyed, LOVED even, the new Missoni ad in the same Vogue issue.  That Margherita is just the coolest.  I bet she talks about poo.  All the time.

Oh the ENGLISH

Sometimes I make notes to myself of stuff to include on a post.  I was going through these yesterday and came across one that said, "Sometimes I just think ugh British people."  Lucky for you I actually remember when I wrote this. I was in a particularly bad mood, sitting in EAT off Savile Row, waiting for my friend Natalie and there were a few annoyingly British guys and a girl, in their mid twenties, sitting next to me.  Don't know what they said exactly, but it rubbed me the wrong way.  You have been warned.

Girls Gone WILD!!

...hardly!  Last night was a deligtful blend of girls, gossip, grub and gulping. Sorry tried to stick with the alliteration - I'm sure you get the idea.  The meal was a big success, especially with the help of my little sous chef's Amelia, Liz, Maddie and Lily. Although, apparently I'm bossy in the kitchen! Very exciting!  Check out the pics of the menu, food and the gorge flowers Lily brought me! 

 

C is for Cookie...That's Good Enough For ME!

Mister is away this week so am having some girlies over tonight.  Started the preparations yesterday...baked about 4 dozen chocolate chip cookies and made them into ice cream sandis. OR, as I have now renamed them...Ice DREAM sandis!  Will let you know how they go over!

Flash Back

Woke up this morning and instantly began daydreaming of tomorrow night when another episode of Glee will be on! YAY!  Started thinking about the main character Rachel, and how she has two dads....which then all of a sudden reminded me of the hit 1980's show, My Two Dads!! REMEMBER?? I used to LOVE that show.  Paul Reiser (Mad About You)?  Giovanni Ribisi (Friends, Lost In Translation)?  Was trying to recall if there was any kind of gay undercurrent, but really don't think there was, which seems SO ridiculous in retrospect.  How times have changed.  Might need to youtube a couple epis later today while the Mister is watching the Chelsea game....I'll report back!

Other Mentionables

Saturday afternoon we went to Dover Street Market, the always fashion forward concept store in Mayfair, for a quick shop and lunch at Rose Bakery on the 4th floor.  I had an open faced warm sandi with ham, leeks and parmesan.  HEAVEN.  I've decided I'm SUPER into leeks right now.   Also managed to run into two ex colleagues from my last job.  Wasn't nearly as awkward as it could have been though - phew!

Dinner was at The Clarendon, a "trendy" gastro pub near our flat.  It's pretty inside and our waitress was super nice (American of course), but I wasn't blown away by the food.  My steak was actually cooked perfectly and quite tasty, but nothing on the menu jumped out at me.  Usually there are one or two things I'm dying to try, and last night I actually found it quite difficult to decide on anything.  Maybe worth going for a drink though, for the nice atmosphere and friendly service.

After dinner we traveled east for Tanya's bday drinks at Green & Red Bar, a fun Mexican restaurant with a downstairs drinking area.  It had a fun vibe, delish margaritas and it wasn't overly crowded, which now that I'm not 25 anymore (a recent development mind you), I thoroughly appreciate!  

The Bill PLEASE!

Friday night had the inlaws in town, so rushed home from work and the Mister and I cooked up a feast.  Steak and guiness pie and I made some Bill Granger blueberry and pear crumbles in my Le Creuset ramekins.  Delightful!  And while we're on the subject of my hero, Bill... I have BIG news to share!  On Saturday I stopped in our neighborhood cookbook shop Books for Cooks to pick up a Bill book for my friend Tanya's bday.  I started chatting with the lady at the register about rumors that Bill might open a resto in London when she told me that Bill has officially relocated from Sydney to London and is living right here in NOTTING HILL! WELL...you can imagine my reaction.  O.M.G.  Don't think the lady was super impressed with me, and might be warning Bill of a stalker in the hood, but all I'm saying is KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED MY FRIENDS!!  KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED.

FIRST WEEK

I am RELIEVED to announce that my first week at the new job went splendidly!  Think I'm really going to enjoy this one, and hopefully make some new friends too.  On Wednesday I had a long "working lunch" with the Account Director from the PR Agency we use.  I went and met her at her offices, in the middle of nowhere...got a little lost along some desolate residential roads (Check out my panic pic above) ...but it all worked out in the end, as she was super nice and young and cute and loves Gossip Girl! PHEW!  We had lunch at High Road House, the latest installment from Soho House.  It was very similar to the Electric (also part of the Soho House group) in decor and food, with a fun buzzy vibe.  I had a delish pork and cider pie, and we shared a chocolate melty cake for dessert.  Nailed it!

Wednesday night met Sally & Liz for a catch up sesh at the Carluccios in South Kensington!  Chain restos are not usually my first choice, but I have to admit the food is good at Carluccios and it is always packed.  I had a wild mushroom pasta, which was surprisingly tasty, but I think anything carby would have been after all the wine we drank - YIKES! Thursday was a bit of a hangover nightmare.  Made it through the day with only one slightly idiotic comment.   When asked where I was from in California, I replied, "Outside California."  Yup.  New hire's a sharp one.  REAL SHARP.

New LaPoo Era

Started my new job yesterday! So far so good!  I already have an email address, desk, computer and a phone from this decade!  Still in the stages of having not much to do, so feel a little guilty, but I know that will change soon enough.  Also have scoped out a couple potential friends.  They won't know what HIT 'EM!

Weekend Round Up

Another delightful weekend all around! Saturday was sunny and glorious!  Took a walk around the hood with the Mister, and in the evening I met some lady friends for drinks at Montgomery Place on Kensington Park Road in the hood.  I partook in a French 75 and Mojito - both good, not AMAZING.  My friend Paige loves MP, but for me it's just OK.  It is one of few of its kind in London - a nice actual cocktail lounge, as opposed to a pub. BUT, coming from NYC, which is full of amazing cocktail lounges, Montgomery Place doesn't quite hit the mark for me.  Tries a little too hard and the crowd can get a bit iffy. Still, we had a table in the front and a great catch up sesh, so we were all happy and liquored up!  Next stop, dinner at The Electric.  Always a good time, although they made us wait a half an hour to be seated, even though we had a ressie, and then even longer to serve us our burgers!  Luckily, they comped us our drinks.  I mean, did you really think three American girls were going to let anyone get away with making us wait to sit and eat?  Not so much!

Sunday, we took a trip over to Spitalfields Market, to check out the chachkas.  Nothing exciting, but I did discover a new Dim Sum stall called KeKe.  So, while the Mister popped to the Loo (yess!), I decided to order a few dumplings to sample.  I mean, I had to report back to you with thorough research did I not?  I ordered the shrimp chive dumplings and they were perfect! Flavourful, fresh and not greasy at all.  Everything looked delish and I will defintely go back to try the rest of the menu! Yum yum KeKe!

After the dumplings, we got our actual lunch at another stall in the market, Rainforest Creations. They do amazing fresh vegetarian salads - I think Carribbean inspired.  They are always a treat, although I do recommend them as a summer lunch rather than winter.  Mine was so cold, it lost a bit of taste.  A costly error on my part, but luckily I had a PB&J later in the afternoon to warm up! I'm sure you were concerned.