"Sisters there were never more devoted sisters..."

Our girls How can I possibly be old enough?

The Missing Posts & The Missing Flowers

OK some explantaion is essential for the tardiness of my postings this week.
Excuses

1. The lovely Jason from Neron Computers is installing a brand new computer system this week, so I had no access to my PC, I’m doing this from my lap top and it just takes forever.

2. I ran out of space for my images and had to wait 24 hours for more from Picasa.

3. And now the main reason, I’m a wee bit tired, we went to see Rebecca on bank Holiday Monday in London & she is utterly exhausting...

We left after my exceptionally beautiful Lancaster Priory & Bartle Hall wedding on Sunday night (This wedding deserves time and a proper PC to prepare the posting so look out for it over the weekend).

We travelled in a Transit Van (Rebecca was moving out of her house in Acton or Notting Hill as she tried to convince us) it took four hours to get there, we arrived in the Capital at 11:00pm, too late for dinner after our early start.

So because of the van our hotel selection was made based on where we could park this high roof monster, our family room backed on to Hammersmith Station, the trains raced by about a metre from the window, just what we needed, we had apparantly used our pillow allocation and an additional one was out of the question, so a great night was had by all.

My two gorgeous girls

Rebecca had us all up at the crack of dawn, Tubes, Buses, walking and she took us to a fabulous cafe in Islington “The Breakfast Club Angel”, the “Slow Boy” smoothie was sensational, we all over ate due to a lack of sustinence the evening before and I have to say their pancakes and bacon were so delicious.

Jason and I walked up Upper Street to two of our favourite shops “Ottolenghi” & “The Sampler”, Jason tried a mouthful of “Haut Brion” cos that's what you can do there, taste a sample of a fab wine you wouldn't usually have the opportunity of trying , I spent a small fortune on Tuesday’s dinner the smell of Asparagus salad with Truffles drove us crazy all day.

We went to Euphormium Bakery for Madeleines one of my many weaknesses, stopped off at Dansk Flowers and Angel Flowers for a nosey around.

Then we got the tube to Oxford Street, Selfridges windows were amazing and I am besotted with this chandelier of Louis Vuitton Bags (I took the photo especially for my great friend and hairdresser "Stewy Vuitton"), I’d love that in a Flower Design window, I did get a new frock and some very Boho Shoes, which made me feel immensley guilty as it’s the first purchase I’ve made out of The Fylde Coast since October and it hurt, but more importantly I won’t do it again, I’ve had my fix, Promise!
It’s sounding pretty good so far isn’t it...
Rebecca wanted lunch at a favourite place of hers “The Hawley Arms” in Camden, more tubes etc I think I’m quite chilled, I think I can rough it a bit, I think I can handle close proximity to the great un-washed, I was wrong, I am, I fear a terrible snob. I ate, wait for it.... a “Fish Finger Sandwich” with ketchup, truth is, I did choose it, but that was because it appeared to be the least offensive menu selection to me. To be fair to The Hawley, it’s definitely cool if you’re young, talented, arty and Southern, the decor is authentic the colour choices clever, the clientele interesting but not really for me.Rebecca & Olivia went on the market to buy vintage clothes it was decided that Jason and I should go to retrieve the van from Hammersmith, meet them back at the house in Acton for the great removal.

We decided to drive through Holland Park (If Rebecca ever makes it, a flat here will be her repayment to us) we stopped off at Humming Bird Bakery for a huge quantity of the very best cup cakes in the entire world for The Flower Design Team thank goodness we were in a van!
The removal organised by logistics supremo Jason went swimmingly and we arrived back on The Fylde just after midnight an exhausting day was endured by all.I am however guilty of a more serious crime, this is the first time I’ve visited my darling actress first born without a bouquet of her favourie blooms a selection of David Austin Roses would have been perfect but here are the ones I made for her, still on my coffee table at home, she would’ve been thrilled with Forget Me Nots, Sweet Peas, wild random flowers like lavender and herbs but it wasn’t to be, so here is the photograph of what could’ve been yours, Love You Bex!

My Easter Surprise

Easter Sunday Dinner at my mum's house with my parents & Olivia & Henry

Then big big surprise my darling Bex came up from London just for dinner

Fabulous London

This is a photograph of Number One Daughter with some very beautiful flowers in The Novotel in Hammersmith, the flowers were provided by First Impression 02077209070

More tales of the London trip later on today, and here they are....

So whistle stop visit, the brief was to pack in as much of Rebecca’s London life as possible, my 1st born is at LAMDA in Barons Court, she wanted us to stay in a hotel on the same line as her so we found ourselves at The Novotel in Hammersmith (We won’t be staying there again!).

We finished work at about 5:00, we arrived about 9:00, Rebecca met us in the foyer of the hotel, (the very best thing about this hotel is the flowers) we then set off on foot for The Curtain Up, I actually witnessed my own daughter drink from a pint glass (quite horrifying), then a series of tubes to Berkley Square and Benares table booked for 10:00, fantastic Indian food, the Tandoor cooked lamb chops were amazing (Rebecca had not been there before, students don’t usually, but this was our treat, her house mates have been to The Ivy etc with their parents so as Liv would say “What ya gonna do?”). Back at the hotel for 1:30am sleep…. 8:00 am alarm, a walk, then a bus (me on a bus, can you imagine, apparently I looked mighty out of place) and then a series of tubes (remember this is her lifestyle not ours) more walking and we arrive at Electric Brassiere for a superb brunch, Rebecca chose a breakfast Smoothie & eggs Benedict, Jason had a Bloody Mary and a massive Breakfast, I had the most delicious French Toast with Pecan & Maple butter mmmm.

Rebecca then went back for some rehearsals for a couple of hours but not before introducing us to Humming Bird Bakery we bought a box full of “Red Velvet Cup Cakes” for the girls at Flower Design.

Jason & I went to investigate loads of different Flower Shops our favourite was “Angel Flowers” in Islington, great shop, lovely flowers and the staff were really knowledgeable.

Ottolenghi is one of my favourite places so I bought a feast of take home goodies for tonight’s dinner and a very special packed lunch for Olivia to take to school today. A few doors up was a wine shop with a difference The Sampler, here’s the thing they allow you to sample loads of different wines from inexpensive £8.99 quaffing wines to the King of Spain’s favourite “Vega Sicilia Unico 1969 at £450.00, you can buy as little as two mouthfuls to taste which was just brilliant, Jason bought 2 bottles (The King of The Fylde’s Favourite Barolo) to go with the Ottolenghi purchases.

Then to another pub “The Barnsbury” where we met Rebecca and Ben (Mark & Claire’s son also studying in London) we enjoyed a fantastical Sunday Dinner and enjoyed their company it all ended too soon and we were back on the tube, bus and finally car arriving on The Fylde in the early hours, today I’m exhausted, I’m also lead to believe this is Rebecca’s lifestyle non stop, oh to be a teenager!