December 31, 2010
December 30, 2010
The Square in the Dark
December 28, 2010
Being a Tourist in London on Christmas Day
On Christmas Day we headed out to walk around London and visit several of historic sites. The street outside our hotel was almost empty - only a few cars and people going about their way. But, as soon as we walked onto a main street we joined the rest of the tourists that were out and about.
We began by walking towards St Paul's Cathedral via Oxford Road, Kingsway, and Fleet Street.

After stopping to visit St Paul's Cathedral we walked out onto the Millennium Bridge to get a view up and down the river. This is a modern and marvelous food bridge that was constructed for London's New Year's Eve celebrations to mark the beginning of the 2000s.

From there we retraced our steps to Kingsway and then turned onto the Strand. We continued walking until we arrived at Trafalgar Square. The sun had set by this time. Lights illuminated the National Gallery building and Christmas lights twinkled around the square. At a distance we could see The light clock tower of Parliament - Big Ben.

December 27, 2010
Dinner at Tayyabs
We took the the tube to Whitechapel in search of Tayyab, a Pakistani restaurant recommended by the three London travel books I brought with me – as well as being highly rated on Yelp. When we came out of the station we were in a different part of London. Here there is no famous architecture or tree-lined streets. We walked by a street market that was being torn down for the night. The sidewalk was filled with tents, merchants, and shoppers. After about 5 minute walk we turned down a nondescript street and arrived at Tayyab.
We arrived in the early evening and inside the restaurant it was already getting busy. Diners were sitting at tables and waiters were bustling around delivering steaming plates of delicious smelling food.
After sitting down I opened our bottle of wine and we started to peruse the menu. (Tayyab does not serve alcohol, however diners are welcome to bring their own and serve themselves.) The food here is from the Punjab region. We ordered paneer tikka, a vegetarian kahari dish with eggplant, chick peas, and lentils, and tandoori roti to share. Jonathan also ordered mutton tikka, kahari chicken, and a meat samosa. (I learned from Wikipedia that Kahari is a circular cooking pot from India and Pakistan that is similar to a wok. These dishes were served in this type of cooking dish.)
December 26, 2010
Our Adventures Begin - the Streets of London
We landed in London just before dawn and made our way (bleary-eyed) through immigration, baggage claim, customs, and downstairs to the airport Tube station. Then we were finally heading to downtown London and our hotel! We arrived at our hotel tired and our hotel we were able to deposit our luggage and get some English breakfast.

Around noon we stopped for lunch at Itsu on Piccadilly Road. From my previous trips to London I remembered Wagamama, but not this place. I was delighted to find the food at Itsu equally fresh, tasty, and not extraordinarily expensive! This is one of the things I love about London – good, inexpensive noodle shops.
After lunch we continued shopping heading to Fortnum & Mason. This department store is fantastic. The upper floors are filled with luxuries – leather goods, china, perfumes, and and clothing. The ground floor and lower level are filled with wonderful edible items – chocolates and confectioneries, tea and coffee, baked goods, biscuits, wine, and much, much more. The store is fabulously decorated, everything is beautifully packaged, and the staff is extremely attentive. I always enjoy visiting this store when I'm in London to just browse and then buy a small treat or two and maybe some gifts. On the day of our visit – Christmas Eve – the store was buzzing with holiday shoppers and foreign visitors. It was a fun and dizzying experience! And a good start to our visit to London.
Guarding the City
December 24, 2010
Back in the Old World
December 23, 2010
Returning to My Home Away from Home
London is a place where I never tire of wandering the streets with my camera. It is a city that I enjoy spending time in either with company or by myself - and never feel alone. I love visiting the quiet sanctuary of Neil’s Yard or the hectic bustle of high street. And then there is the splendid - and always camera ready - historic architecture. It is an amazing place!
London is home to some of the most recognizable structures in the world - the Westiminster Abbey, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the Tower Bridge, and now the London Eye. It is home to extravagant department stores and simple curry houses. It is home to tradition - from the Changing of the Queen’s Guard at Buckingham Palace to the quiet ritual of afternoon tea. And it is an old city where you can be reminded of the lessons of history or enjoy the luxuries of the 21st century world.
At one point in my life I had the opportunity to travel to London and several other places in Europe on a regular basis. However, recently my opportunities to travel east across the Atlantic have been fewer and further between. In fact, it has been several years since I was last in this place I like to call my home away from home.
That will change tonight when my husband Jonathan are traveling to Europe for the holidays. Our itinerary has two destinations - London and Paris. I am excited not just to be returning to my favorite city, but to be bringing Jonathan with me. And to be continuing our journey from there to continental Europe and Paris.
London again! And at Christmastide! I am so excited to land at Heathrow Airport and take the Tube into the city. I am excited to wander the streets and show Jonathan the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of my favorite city.
And then Paris - the City of Lights. This a city of history and recognisable monuments and landmarks - Eiffel Tour, Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Champs-Élysées. It is also a place for the senses and indulgence - wine, cheese, chocolate, and pastries. This is a place I know will enchant Jonathan.
I am looking forward to this whole trip, this whole experience. And I am looking forward to sharing this adventure with Jonathan.
December 21, 2010
A Dining Experience
I have been anticipating this meal for a long time. It was a much delayed - and long anticipated birthday celebration for Jonathan. You have to make a reservation exactly 30 days in advance. It takes several tries to get through to the reservation line. The time for suspense is not lacking... So, the evening finally arrives. Komi. We met my aunt there early in the evening. The restaurant has a warm atmosphere with candles and flowers decorating the dining room.
This restaurant is not a normal dining experience. There is no menu - they just cook for you. When you make the reservation they ask you dietary restrictions and preferences and then create a different menu each evening depending on their guests. The meal consists of a variety of meze, a pasta course, an entree, and then a flight of desserts. So, the only decision left for the customers is what to drink.
After selecting our wine the first meze arrived. Mine was a small steamed bun with yogurt and fried caper berries. It looked lovely and took out my iPhone to take a picture of my food. However, before I was able to capture an image one of the servers came over and told me I was not allowed to take pictures of the food. What? No pictures? In a world with Facebook, Twitpic, and Foodspotting they don’t allow diners to photograph their food. As a result the words in this blog post will be unaccompanied by photographs. A disappointment, but one that passed quickly after my first bite of steamed bun.
After the steamed bun I received a variety of different small dishes featuring vegetables.
- Fennel cooked three ways - one of which was an amazing sliced fennel that was cooked until the edges were caramelized but the center was still crispy.
- Beets and avocado served with candied orange peel.
- Crispy scallions served with a dressing made of fresh herbs.
- A perfect salad with radishes and greens.
My non-vegetarian dining companions were served a variety of seafood or vegetables small dishes. My favorite small plate was a unique version of spanakopita. Instead of the normal layers of filo and butter with spinach in between, this variation is formed into a round ball with a crispy outside and a warm spinach puree inside. Eating it is similar to biting into a chocolate truffle with a molten center. It tasted absolutely amazing.
After the vegetable and seafood dishes we were all had wonderful dates served warm, stuff with marscopone cheese, and served topped olive oil and fleur du sel. A perfect bite - and definitely a tie with the spanakopita for my favorite thing in the meal thus far.
Next was the pasta course. The non-vegetarians at the table had pasta with lamb ragu - but were a bit jealous of my dish. I had freshly made gnocchi with butter and shaved several large shavings of black truffle. It was wonderful - the gnocchi was creamy and the flavors were warm and woodsy.
Then it was finally time for the main entree. I received a chestnut flan served with winter vegetables. It was creamy and delicious with a mild nutty flavor. I had never imagined eating a savory flan, but it was lovely. And of course, again my dining companions had a different dish than I. They were served roasted goat with a variety of accompaniments. To go with our entrees we all received this fabulous fresh pita bread. Warm and buttery - it was another highlight of the meal.
Last, came desserts. We received three small dessert plates and then a salty and sweet lemon lollypop. My favorite were a wonderful caramel disk served on a spoon and a frozen variation of baklava.
The meal at Komi was like a languid adventure. It is an event more than a meal - a true dining experience. Too bad I don’t have any photos to share with you.
December 19, 2010
Hip NYC Atmosphere & Outstanding Italian Food with a DC Address
Upon arrival at the restaurant we were seated promptly. The interior of Posto has high ceilings and modern decor with the vibe of a hip NYC bistro. This restaurant has the buzz of a stylish dining establishment.
December 15, 2010
Poste - Pretty Food, Mediocre Taste
So, we did - for dinner on a rainy evening... Again we sat in the bar area - this time at the bar proper. From the very beginning our server was aloof and lackadaisical, but we had still high expectations for the food.
I ordered a garden salad and pappardelle with mushrooms. Jonathan ordered pork belly and beef bourguignon - and then truffle frites to share. For wine Jonathan selected a malbec and I ordered the bartender's suggestion - syrah from Idaho. Yes, Idaho.
So, after dinner at Poste, hungry and wanting, we headed Vinoteca for some more substantial snacks. There were did not experience disappointment.
December 12, 2010
December 10, 2010
Brunch in a Quiet Corner of Miami Beach
We were seated at a table outside on the sidewalk. Decorated with leafy plants and shaded with bright orange umbrellas the sidewalk patio was a relaxing place to sit and enjoy our brunch.
December 8, 2010
December 5, 2010
December 2, 2010
The Design District – An Outside Room, Tapas, and Miami Cool
We first arrived in the Design District the late afternoon on Friday. The streets were quiet, customers were browsing the shops and galleries, and there was an air of calm. We walked down streets past shops, cafes, courtyards with trees, and an outdoor room. Yes, that is correct an outdoor room. At the intersection of North Miami Avenue and 40th Street NE there is the corner of a room. Furnished with a couch and two lamps, decorated in pink, and exposed to the elements, the two walls and partial ceiling stand still in stark contrast to the busy traffic of the streets. So uniquely Miami.

We returned the following evening, Saturday. It was dark when we arrived and found that the neighborhood was a transformed place. The streets were alive with energy and excitement; the restaurants and bars were abuzz. Music filled the air and crowds of people drifted through open art galleries and congregated on the sidewalks. It was a hip, local scene.
We had a dinner reservation at Sra Martinez, a tapas restaurant located in an old post office building at the corner of 2nd Avenue NE and 40th Street NE. The restaurant has a large patio dining area that abuts the sidewalk. When we arrived several groups of people were sitting at these outdoor tables enjoying food and drinks in the mild Miami evening air. Inside the main part of the restaurant has high ceilings with a bar and open dining room. Towards the back of the restaurant there is a balcony with another bar and a few tables overlooking the main dining floor. The lights in the whole restaurant are dim and the atmosphere is vibrant and energetic.
So, on to the subject of food... I ordered some cheeses, crispy artichokes, mushrooms, and wine. Jonathan got butifarra (a white bean and sausage stew), chorizo, and wine. Everything was just perfect. The cheese was very good and the artichokes were wonderfully crispy and served with a creamy lemon sauce. The mushrooms were cooked in truffle butter and were delivered to the table wrapped like a present in aluminum foil. Jonathan was completely enchanted with his carnivorous dishes. It was a great meal.
Of course, every great meal ends with dessert. We shared excellent churros served with chocolate dipping sauce. The churros were so good - warm and chewy with with cinnamon and sugar. The rich and silky chocolate sauce was served cool - making it a perfect companion for the warm churros.
Our dinner at Sra Martinez was fabulous. The service was great - and the food was delicious. Dining here reminded me that I miss the wonderful Spanish tapas restaurants we used to frequent when we lived in San Francisco. Washington DC has a few tapas restaurants that are good, but not outstanding. Sra Martinez - like Alegrias and Zarzuela in San Francisco - is an outstanding place to go for tapas.
I am glad we veered off the standard tourist path and discovered the Design District. This neighborhood is definitely Miami cool.