Tuesday 4 February 2014

weekending


Portobello road buskers

Nephews and friends' band More Like Trees



 images via,
I said I was too busy to go but then tagged along with 'A'  for the ride. He had meetings in London and while he was working I met up with his sister, and my sister P, and her husband. They've just moved to the metropolis, closer to their musician/artist sons, right in the heart of urban culture, with theatresgalleries and museums on their doorstep. I suggested we meet at Portobello road. There was no time for shopping we were too busy talking. Except for a nimble look in The Cloth Shop like a small child in a sweetshop. There's a feast in there for my eyes and finger tips, I touched the  incredible fabrics, the Swedish linen, vintage Hungarian flour sacks, Indian braid, Welsh blankets and bobbins of thread and bindings, all sorts of oddities. It was good to just look and admire...Oh and touch...I can't help touching...

We ate at Portobello organic kitchen. Tiny little pixi bowls of green soup, served with equally tiny warm white rolls. It was delicious, delicate but packed with flavour. I'm pretty sure that it was pea and parsley. Possibly the recipe here

Later my grown-up girl met up with us, with newly auburn hair all swept up and piled  on top of her head, looking gorgeous as usual. We spotted buskers. I love live-music. I applaud the musicians...I could never perform in public.  Not the best, but gutsy. Maybe I'm biased and think no-one can ever compare with my nephews' band

We took 'H' to Charlies for some lunch, and I tucked into Torta della Nonna. Pastry tart with lemon patisserie cream, topped with almonds, pine nuts and a dusting of sugar snow...Very naughty but very nice with crumbly melt in the mouth pastry...I found a recipe here if you'd like to make one yourself.

We circled the market stalls 'til the wind started howling and blowing things off them. They began to rattle and shake and looked as though they were about to launch. Metal pegs that kept the canvas roofs in place and shoe boxes scooped up and blew through the air, we had to duck to avoid them. Lightning lit the sky, the  heavens opened and thunder crashed. We got soaked to the skin, literally. It was so mild that no-one really minded, we just looked at each other and laughed. Then dashed for the tube, persuading my H to come back to A's sister, where we were staying, and have supper. Getting back just as the others arrived for an extended family and friends evening, cooking and eating and catching up...It was the best time. 


Sunday it was just me and A's sister. A grey, grey day with wind howling down the chimney...We had lots of plans but they all vanished when we looked through the window and decided it was preferable to remain pyjama clad watching Out of Africa, than brave the wind and rain. 

If you get a chance to re-watch it, do. It is beautiful and soppily romantic. The costumes are gorgeous and Meryl Streep at her most lovely. She even looked gorgeous with wet hair. It took us ages, literally hours, to watch the film as we 'oohed' and 'aahed', and paused, and rewound, so that we could check 'that' blouse or 'this' dress again, to see how it was made, discuss it and then plan our own, dream, 'Out of Africa' inspired summer wardrobe.

We made our way back to Oxford with the car bursting with jars and bottles. I even found a kilo jar of pure raw honey collected from Linden blossom in wild forests in Lithuania, complete with hand printed brown card label tied on with string. It was a very busy weekend...but oh so good...

I made plans with sis, P, to meet up in Camden Passage next time, to visit Loop. I can't wait...just imagine all those yarns...

linking with amanda

12 comments:

  1. I watched out of africa a long long long time ago :) I remember liking it. Loved seeing the outdoor stands too bad it was blistering windy. So glad you saw your daughter with a new hairdo :) Nice!! Love seeing what you see when you go for your excursions.

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  2. Thanks Karen. Oh you should try and watch it again. It was shame the weather sent us home early but before that it had been sunny and mild. It's so changeable at the moment.

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  3. Debby, what an amazing weekend, visiting with family, walking on Portobella Road [a dream of mine] and that pastry, oh my goodness it looks so good.
    I remember going to the theater to see Out of Africa when it first came out, but have not seen it since, and I need to fix that.
    I hope you have the best Tuesday!

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    1. I hope you do get there one day, but I would suggest at least spring if not summer then you can potter around and enjoy everything at your leisure, hopefully with the sun shining brightly. I found OOA to be better than I remembered it the first time round. Maybe it was because I needed to see a bit of sunshine that day. Happily I'm being blessed with some today.It's a good Tuesday...hope yours is too.

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  4. ooooh! pea and parsley soup sounds delish!

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    1. It is Amanda, I really recommend the recipe. It's definitely worth trying.
      deb

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  5. Oh, what a wonderful weekend...everything sounds perfect...the food, the Cloth Shop, the market...even the weather! :) Thanks for sharing. I I feel like I get a little trip to England with each of your blog posts.
    I loved Out of Africa, and your are right...the costumes were amazing!

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    1. It was so good Emily. I have the same feeling when I visit your New England blog...it so good that we can travel without even moving an inch.
      debx

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  6. my goodness what a beautiful post, so filled with wonderfulness, there is so much to take in, i think i've reread it a few times! what a fantastic weekend, all the places you ate at, the markets and buskers, what a treat debby. i love the tenth photo from the top, it makes me feel like i am there. i love london. and how wonderful you were able to meet up with your girl!!

    and OUT OF AFRICA. oh my goodness how i love this movie. i love how you watched it, examining every part. i've seen it so many times it's a little embarrassing. and so ironic, i had found a copy of an old vinyl album and bought it a few years ago, even though i didn't have a turntable. i got one this christmas from my sons, and it came this weekend (it had been on back order) and the album playing all weekend was the soundtrack! i text a video to all my kids and they laughed and loved it. i'm sorry to go on but i have to tell you one more ooa story! many years ago, on my first trip to africa chuck surprised me with a visit to karen blixens house, the same house that is in the movie! it's now a museum. we saw the ngong hills behind where denys finch hatton is laid to rest and the coffee plantation. the kikuyu are no longer there, but the ancient stone wheels where they held council are still in place. i love it all so much. thank you for sharing!

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    1. Thank you Lori...a kindred spirit. It's lovely to hear your experiences. Thank you for sharing them. OOA is so beautifully filmed with the vast green plains and the house, no wonder it's a favourite. Hopefully one day I'll get to see them too.
      enjoy your music.
      debx

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  7. Beautiful photos! The flowers were just what I needed this morning after waking to 7 inches of snow!

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    1. 7inches...wow...we haven't at that's worth mentioning this year. I keep expecting a little dusting.
      keep nice and warm
      debx

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