So it has been a very busy two weeks since my last post. I celebrated my birthday and have been working hard on getting a major ad campaign out the door. I spent four days on a photo shoot and had the pleasure celebrating my birthday on a photo shoot. Ben and family spoilt me as usual and I received lots of lovely presents. Benny took me out for a lovely birthday dinner on the Friday night. My cousin Chris arrived on Saturday to experience the Proms first hand. Benny and I were surprised how fast the year has gone since out first Proms experience. This year though the weather was amazing and we were able to wear summer clothes. Kylie Minogue was the leading act and the night finished with a great sing along to all the good British tunes such as Rule, Britannia. We spent the night with lots of friends having a picnic while watching the sunset.

On Sunday morning I dragged Benny and Chris out of their beds to go for a cycle. The temperature was 26 degrees and sadly this isn't going to be around for much more. We caught the bus into Chelsea and hired Boris Bikes. We were heading to brunch at a cafe I wanted to try. After our 30 minute ride through the streets and Hyde Park we were hit with a queue. The boys were hungry so we looked for another suitable venue. It was a blessing in disguise as I think we found a better spot, The Riding House Cafe. It was delicious.

After our breakfast we cycled back to Chelsea and jumped on a bus home. I was going to cook an earlier dinner for Cousin Chris before he had to go back on the bus to Bristol. Thanks to my aunty being an unbelievable cook she had taught my cousin great baking skills. Chris helped me cook sticky toffee pudding. It was so yummy and now I know a few little cooking tricks.

This weekend Benny and I decided to have a quiet weekend as we have a busy few weeks coming up. We went for another cycle yesterday from Vauxhall to Bermondsey which is a good 30 minutes at pace. It wasn't planned but while on the train we realised our tube line was having works done this weekend. Hiring bikes is so easy and lucky London is mostly flat it is not to hard to ride around. Once in Bermondsey we visited a small food market. I wish I hadn't stuffed myself at brunch so I could sample some of the food. There was freshly cooked scallops, lobsters, tapas, Thai curries, Brazilian food and a wine bar. Next time we'll remember to not eat so much beforehand.

Today, I headed to a friend's place and a visit to the William Morris museum. Late last year we visited a small exhibit of his works in Temple. The exhibit was also promoting the reopening of his museum in the house he grew up in Walthamstow. The museum opened just a few months ago and it is free to get in. He is famous for his interior design work and there was a small sample of his things on display. I have fallen in love with so many of his wallpapers and upholstery fabric. His designs are so timeless.

Exploring more of London

A few weeks ago I bought this fantastic book which explores parts of London shops and places to eat. I've been reading parts and picking places I want to explore with Benny. We thought this weekend would be good to go exploring. After a late night of work Friday night and many a game of Backgammon with Benny at The Arab Boy we woke up a bit later than expected. No surprise it only took Benny one game to work out the tricks and he beat me by four games.

Once we woke up and eventually got out the door we headed towards Marylebone, we only had a few hours. We tracked down a great Lebanese lunch place. We had really yummy fresh food and the service could not be faulted. After a late lunch we explored the streets and went to a really old book store called Daunts, a cheese shop and a perfumery. The perfumery makes the perfume on the spot once you have chosen a fragrance. I was pleasantly surprised with the prices. I might just take a visit when I run out next. Marylebone has lots of independent stores which is why we really enjoyed it. The cheese shop was packed with people purchasing fresh goods and having a bite to eat.

We made a quick dash home to get ready for dinner with Mossy and Lee. We went to a restaurant in Borough Markets called Roast. The meals were amazing. Mossy and I went for the pork belly. It was so delicious. We even managed to have a drink in the sunshine before dinner. We can feel the weather changing and the cold mornings arriving very soon. We need to make the most of the sunshine while it lasts.

On Sunday we got up and I made baked eggs for breakfast.  It was very yummy.  After that we left the house and caught the bus to Chelsea and Boris bikes, a nick name after the Mayor of London who instigated the scheme.  We rode around london for an hour or so, up into Hyde Park and around that area, before running off to watch Liverpool at the pub.

This weekend we are looking forward to the Proms. I can't believe how fast this year has gone. It feels like yesterday that we were at our first Proms.