Day out to London, China Town, Chinese New Year

Happy Chinese New Year! This year is the year of the sheep, I'm not sure if that is auspicious or not as I have no knowledge of western horoscopes never mind Eastern ones! I am a snake, DD is a rabbit and that's about all I know.

The last time we went to China Town DD was about 8 and it was the year of the rat, I think she still has a lucky red rat somewhere that we bought there.

This year we tool a leisurely train trip and a wander to China Town. We strolled from Victoria past Buckingham palace, being in the right place at the right time to see a royal palace coach drive by.

We walked through Green Park , then on past The Ritz, and took a look at Eros in Piccadilly before exploring Soho, DD was wearing tight skimpy shorts and has legs to die for so no surprise we got a lot of catcalls, stares and general hassle. I think she was torn between terror and pride. A whole education at each sex shop window, a discussion as to how sticky a 'private viewing booth' might be and then we escaped to China Town.

 We went to a little restaurant we had had recommended to us and I had some dim sum (best spicy dumpling soup ever!) and Dd had lemon chicken, her favourite Chinese dish.
I avoided some of the more unusual items on the menu...

But I did have some fried squid and chilli sauce.

After lunch we went to the half term hell that was Hamleys. and then staggered to a Turkish coffee shop for coffee, hot chocolate and the prettiest little macaroons (which I totally forgot to photograph but were delicious)

Then home on the train with only a tiny visit to Paperchase first.

The train was absolutely packed and I had to use my Southern Rail Priority seat card to ask someone to give me a seat - DD joked "what if they have a hidden disability too? Does it become like disabled Top Trumps?" I think she may be on to something! And thanks to the deaf man that stood so I could sit down. And to the lady that offered to stand too.

Home exhausted by 9pm

They're Changing Guard at Buckingham Palace...

They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
Alice is marrying one of the guard.
"A soldier's life is terrible hard,"
                                                                    Says Alice.

We went to London on Saturday, as we live on the coast it's up for us, not down, and we are neither called Christopher, nor Alice..I'm not sure where this is going except I recited this poem to DD when we were at Buckingham Palace, I feel if when you see this

and don't recite that perfect poem by A.A. Milne you are wasting everyone's time.

We were not in London to visit the Queen though, nor a little mouse under her chair. We were there to meet up with the simply marvelous totally barking authors that I met up with back in January but this time DD was coming along too.

First I went to John Lewis with £200 worth of vouchers that I'd won online burning the proverbial hole in my pocket. After an hour of um-ing and ahhh-ing and with help from DD I settled on a lovely chiffon dress in black, with a butterfly motif (£105 !! *faints*) and a White Stuff reversible cotton skirt with a bird patterm (£45) I also stocked up on 'my smell' (as DD calls it) Clarins Dynamisante (£32)

Then it was a rush to the pub, to meet for Lunch. We were late of course. We met at the Mayflower, the pub was charming, and after a brief confusion where I was upstairs and alone with Dd and a bottle of wine while everone one else was downstairs, we settled down to chatting about all sorts of odd things, books, food, women, sex, cats, watches...sometimes several from that list at once.

The food was delicious. The waitress put up with our happy mildly tipsy behaviour. No one danced on the table, or got naked, though Andy and Tony downed shots of Tabasco sauce to impress us. We were suitably impressed...and a little bit worried!

All in all the meet up was lovely (well I enjoyed it - I do hope the others did!) DD has declared all authors (but especially Andy Stanton and Anthony McGowan) 'barking' ... after the Tabasco affair I fear she has a point.

Emily, Tony, TM, DD

Sally, Andy and Jane

Later we walked back from the tube via Green Park and Buckingham Palace.

What a super day!