I think I have already mentioned that I am planning a big work event at the end of this month. Well, a colleague and I were in London for a meeting, and then had a manic time running around looking at venues for a future conference. Now let me just say that I have really missed London having not been there for a couple of years, but I just don't think I can keep up with the pace of it now. It was refreshing after dashing around to come out of the tube to the sun setting over Battersea power station which you can see in my photograph. I really do enjoy the versatility of London. Even all of the random things that happened during the visit including the Twem from X Factor lookalikes on the tube, one of whom was wearing a blue Croc on one foot, and a brown suede brogue on the other. Only in London.After we got away from the hubub of the City, we caught a train to Egham and a taxi to Beaumont Estate in Windsor. What a funny little place (it is actually quite sprawling actually). After checking in, we were directed up in the lift to the second floor where we could not for the life of us find our bedrooms, only a corridor which could have come directly from the film The Shining. Back to the lift we hot-trotted only to be met by a spooky boy of about sixteen who said he had come to help us - a pale lad dressed in what looked like school uniform. He led us up many, many stairs to an even scarier annexe where our bedrooms awaited. Now, I am no scaredy cat but I was too spooked to sleep on my own, so my friend and I shared her bed and sat in bed drinking wine under the duvet for the rest of the evening (so not so bad). We have since discovered that the venue is an old boys catholic boarding school, which does boast a couple of ghost stories including a little boy who sits on the steps of their chapel; and a janitor discovering that a corridor full of Henry VIII portraits that had been taken down off the wall, turned upside-down and left on the floor, all when no-one else had been in the building. We did find out though that the boy was real, not the ghost that we had originally thought.
On Tuesday night back to lovely Leeds to see Ellie Goulding at the O2 Academy (Master M's birthday present from moi). I am not the biggest Ellie fan. I would put her in that category of whiney, screechy female solo artists that isn't really my bag. However, on Tuesday she surpassed herself in my opinion. What a talented lady. Her band was massive. I don't think I have ever seen that much percussion on a stage in Leeds, and she proved her musical skills singing her heart out, banging the drums and strumming her geeeetar, so RESPECT. I rate her acoustic stuff more than the music she has released so far though, and am not impressed that she is re-releasing her debut album.
With all of the shenanigans of the week, I didn't get around to cooking until Wednesday, so I will be cooking in my sleep all weekend. I did make spring chicken last night which I know is a bit random in the run-up to christmas, but it was super-tasty. The jist of it is chicken thighs, oil, pancetta, peas, cider, leeks, garlic, celery, tarragon, little gem, and erm... "done" (as Gordon Ramsay would say, not that I like to quote him). Would recommend. Apologies for the steamy photo!
Will be cooking a twisted lasagne tonight if I can find black beans.
Goddess Mx
Looks lovely! Will even forgive the Gordon reference ;-)
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree on Ellie. I have seen her as a support act for John Mayer and was completely blown away. In this case, the starter has been way better than the main course. And there's been no desert!! :)
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