Wow…just WOW!

MMM!  Here we are puttin’ on a major feed at a place called ‘Dinner by Heston Blumenthal’ located in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in London, England, and this place is totally rockin’ our world…jaaaa!!

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal has two Michelin stars, and it is easy to see, smell, feel, and taste why. . .everything here is beyond spot-on.

We are warmly greeted by the hosting staff when we arrive…we sip champagne at an austere bar while waiting for our table to be ready…we are escorted to our table smoothly and efficiently…we are greeted by our waitperson calmly yet kineticly–there is good energy here.  Then we are presented with our menus…the menus are incredibly interesting–dishes of the day are listed on one side, and the history of each dish is briefly described on the other side where we learn that all of the items served in the restaurant are based on old British recipes that go back as far as the 14th century…woweewowow!  Of course, I am eating dishes from the 14th century…from a cookbook used to prepare meals for Richard II that dates to the year 1390…’sblood and zounds!!

So, here is what we are devouring: something called ‘Rice & Flesh’ from 1390–uniquely delicious, never had anything like it before and could eat it again and again…’Frumenty’ from 1390–possibly the most delicious grilled octopus we have ever had covered with smelt, smoked eel broth and pickled veggies…’Chicken & Cauliflower’ from 1390–absolutely tasty and delectable…’Hereford Ribeye’ from 1830–cooked perfectly, covered in pellets of bone marrow, never had a better piece of meat anywhere on Earth, superb.  All of this is washed down with a great bottle of chablis…yes, chablis, I will drink fabulous white wine with ANYTHING…jaaaa!

We follow all of this goodness with a fine selection of English cheeses and a good glass of 20-year-old port…then we ingest an absolutely wonderful dessert called a ‘Tipsy Cake’ from a recipe that goes back to 1810 and includes a hunk of pineapple cooked on a rotisserie–magical, scintillating, delightful. . .could eat this again and again…mmmm, aaaaahh!!

If you really wanna blow it out the next time you are in London, then consider dining at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal. . .Heston is the guy who runs The Fat Duck out near Brighton which was voted the “World’s Greatest Restaurant” back about 15 years ago or so. . .of course, you can rest assured that this guy knows what he is doing, and though ‘Dinner’ has only two Michelin stars (Fat Duck has three) you will still have a meal to remember for many months and years to come.

Eat great food…drink great beverages…no one knows what is going to happen five minutes from now so enjoy yourself right this very moment…cheers!

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It’s lovely out there.

#1 pub, East Sussex–

MMM!  Here we are hangin’ with an old friend in a sweet pub down in Withyham, and this place gets my vote for the number one pub in all of East Sussex. . .it’s called The Dorset Arms…let’s check it out, shall we?

Withyham is about 70 kilometers south of London…takes about an hour and forty-five minutes to drive here from central London, and what a lovely drive it is…mmmm, aaaaahh!

Withyham is in Sussex County…Sussex along with Surrey and Kent are three of the most wonderful counties in all of southern England that you can visit…lots of long and winding roads (lovingly immortalized by The Beatles), lots of long and tall hedges lining these roads, lots of rolling hills with lush farmland, lots of quaint villages and towns to visit, and tons of cozy pubs for eating and drinking the day away.

My friend, April, is a longtime resident of Surrey and has invited us down to lunch with her in East Sussex because this great pub is well-worth a visit. . .so we pop on down and have a soothing lunch of tomato soup, crab salad, grilled sole, local sausages and mash, and sweet pudding for dessert…of course, everything is washed down with tasty pints of bitter ale–something called Harvey’s in this case–FABULOUS!

The next time you make your way to London, do yourself a favor and plan a day trip down through the countryside of Sussex, Surrey, and Kent…and if you really wanna get deep in it, then definitely make your way to The Dorset Arms in Withyham…the staff here is warm and welcoming, the atmosphere is well-worn and cozy, the food is totally tasty, and the drink is delicious and ever-flowing…cheers!

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It’s lovely out there.

Oldest restaurant in London–

BAM!  Here is the oldest restaurant in London: Rules…located on Maiden Lane right smack dab in the heart of town.

Rules was opened by a dude called Thomas Rule back in 1798.  It started as an oyster bar of sorts and became so popular that it expanded into a full restaurant somewhere along the way.  Also somewhere along the way it grew in reputation by serving excellent British fare to all people famous and infamous who walked through the entryway…the who’s who of diners here covers everyone from Charles Dickens to Winston Churchill to Laurence Olivier, etc….Daniel Craig dined here as James Bond in ‘Skyfall’…AND my wife and I dined here. . .so that about covers it–cheers!

During our visit we sip drinks in the upstairs bar–warm and soothing…then we head back downstairs to our corner table in the fascinating main dining area…the walls are covered with photos, paintings, animal heads, drawings, light fixtures, etc. that Mr. Rule collected over the years and that the two subsequent owners since the Rule family gave the place up also collected.  Everything is interesting and worthy of attention. . .and fortunately the thing most worthy of attention here is the food–jaaaa!!

We gobble oysters in honor of the humble origins of this place as an oyster house–briny and delicious. . .celeriac, leek & oyster soup–delectable and restorative. . .Dorset crab salad–refreshing and uplifting. . .braised pork cheeks and a slow-cooked beef featherblade–both meaty, tender and delicious. . .and we end with a sticky toffee pudding–MMMM!!  All of this is washed down with a fun bottle of Gigondas. . .perfect.

Rules is in the heart of Covent Garden…lots of tourists and partiers around…we thought this might end up being a cheesy and touristy experience, but much to our joy and surprise, Rules rocked our world with spot-on staff who welcomed us with open arms, seduced us with an other-worldly atmosphere, and satisfied us with totally high-quality food cooked with skill and served with flair.

We love Rules, and I know that you will too if you ever find yourself here….mmmhhmmm!!

To see more stupendous images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

West London reverie–

MMM!  It is cozy and welcoming over here in west London…you gotta check this out before you move to the next realm.

Our favorite things to do in west London, specifically the South Kensington area, include strolling over to the Chelsea Embankment for easygoing views of the River Thames. . .off in the distance is the Battersea Power Station, the National Theater, Parliament, and various points in south London. . .and when the sun is out–which can be quite rare and sporadic–this is easily one of the most beautiful towns on the planet.  So we are enjoying this day immensely–jaaaa!!

Then we head back to Fulham Road where the streetscapes and buildings often put on a show for us. . .add sunshine, VOILA!, magic.

And if we walk west on Fulham Road long enough we arrive at Stamford Bridge, the home stadium of the Chelsea Football Club–one of the best in all of Europe, where we pay our respects and move along. . .

. . .time for another pint and snack in one of the many pubs in the area.  Until next time: cheers, big ears!

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It’s lovely out there.

Yolks, berries, love, ale–

In the U.S. everyone is a little more free today.  Free to marry whomever we want, free to be whomever we want, and free to stand up and be proud of whomever we are. . .so, with all of this new-found freedom, I recommend that we all gobble a nutritious, balanced, and fulfilling breakfast.  Why not some gorgeous runny eggs, some sweet fresh berries, and a delectable loved-one by your side. . .all washed down with a tasty English ale. . .mmm, aaaaahh!

I send you wanderlusty-new-found-freedom vibes from The Wild Rabbit in Kingham, Cotswald District, England. . .feel them. . .they are here to stay.

To see more fascinating images from around planet Earth simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

Where are we going?

  Right, where are we going?  Back to the light?  Up to the sky?  Back to dust. . .stardust?  To the next inn for food and drink?  Down into the Earth?  Back to our babies. . .our sweet loving babies?  Wherever it is that we are going doesn’t really matter as long as we just enjoy the ride. . .mmmm, aaaahh!

I send you contemplative vibes from The Talbot Inn in Mells, Somerset, England. . .feel them. . .they are mindfully delicious.

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It’s lovely out there.

Ever’body loves the sunshine–

YES!  Ever’body loves the sunshine. . .especially in the English countryside.  Here we are traipsing around in a town called Kingham in Oxfordshire located in the Cotswald District about two hours drive west of London.  It is gorgeous, cozy, and serene out here, but we all know that there are lots of dirty secrets behind these ancient stone walls and ivy. . .we will have to return some day to delve deeper into the dark underbelly of Kingham.  But for now simple admiration for the exterior beauty will have to do. . .mmmm, aaaahh!

I send you quaint and picturesque vibes from the Cotswald District of England. . .feel them. . .they are enough for all of us to get by on.

To see more fascinating images from around our teeny-tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .do it. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.

Yorkshire Pudding ‘n’ such–

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner. . .Yorkshire Pudding fits the bill.  Sausages, beef, mashed potatoes, and a deep brown broth/gravy all served up in a pastry-like ‘container’ known as “pudding.”  Mmmm, aaaaahh. . .we love this stuff and are happy gobbling it morning, noon, and night.  Wash it down with a bitter ale or three, and we are good-to-go.

I send you pudding vibes from York, England. . .feel them. . .they will make you rounder and fuller than you are right now.

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It’s lovely out there.

Abbey-normal–

So it’s in ruins now, but St. Mary’s Abbey used to be the richest monastery in the north of England way back when. . .Turner sketched it–that oughta tell you somethin’.  We can feel some of the past magnificence of the place while standing in the open air and imagining the beauty and gloriousness of her long-gone interior.  Actually, it is unusual to see decrepit walls of an old structure here. . .churches in England are oftentimes either magnificently restored or torn down and rebuilt. . .gives it all an ancient Greek or Persian feel. . .niiiice!

I send you abbey-normal vibes from St. Mary’s Abbey in York, England. . .feel them. . .they are good for longevity.

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It’s lovely out there.

York rocks!

MMM!  Wandering around York, England is a joy.  There are ladies here ready to offer us “help & advice”–niiiice!. . .there are vintage Rolls Royces everywhere waiting to drive us to-and-fro–lovely!. . .there is plenty of good stuff to sip–sweeeeet!. . .and there are lots of perfectly-formed coal briquets to remind us that the industrial age began right here on the isle of Britain with York at the center of lots of this activity–most wonderful!  We love wandering around York, and we know that you will, too, if you ever find yourself about a four-hour-drive north of London lookin’ for somethin’ to do.

I send you vital vibes from York. . .feel them. . .they are a big part of what makes the world go round.

To see more fascinating images from around our teeny-tiny planet simply click on a location of your choice in the category menu on the ‘About’ page of this blog. . .dive on in. . .so much to see and soooo little time.

It’s lovely out there.