London -> Vienna
Highlight
- As usual with our first stop, we went to the local market, which in Vienna is the Naschmarkt, The place was huge and really happening. All the people were sitting at the indoor/outdoor food places having a drink and leisurely lunch.
- We walked past rows and rows of Turkish shops offering the same wares. Eventually we found some shops selling something different, so stocked up on some bread and cheese to sustain us until dinner time.
- Weather was grey, but at least not raining.
- After filling up on food and cake, we walked to look at the weird gold dome of the Secession Building.
- Admired Karlskirche and the fountain from afar, but didn’t pay to go in
- Enjoyed the Karlsplatz Stadtbahn Pavilion disused old tram stop, by Otto Wagner
- There was the big opera film festival going on at the Rathaus with lots of food stalls, but alas, we had already eaten, and we had Allie so couldn’t go and see the films.
- Caught the tram around, just because we could.
- Looked at the cool trompe de l’oriel at the Jesuitenkirche
- Settled in for a big meal at the very busy Plachutta. The food was actually very good, if a little too salty. Too bad the service was substandard. The waiters never responded to us, and kept bumping into Allie. They were so slow, and then even had the nerve to ask us for a tip when we didn’t leave anything.
Food
- BA lounge:
- bacon roll
- tomato roll
- yoghurt and fruit
- danish
- croissant
- tomato juice
- cheese
- biological bread
- doughnut cake with walnut
- doughnut with cinnamon
- ham roll with cream cheese
- Chocolate mousse cake
- pistachios gelato
- Plachutta:
- meat platter – goose liver pate, beef tartare, beef in jelly
- Boiled beef soup
- Boiled beef: ox tongue, shoulder, brisket
Berlin -> London
Highlight
- A later start today. Unfortunately it started to rain.
- Somehow we managed to get lost going to the East Side Gallery, but when we finally made it the sun came out. Some of the artwork was interesting, others quite ordinary, but they were all newly touched up and fresh. I actually would have liked to have seen some of the old faded ones.
- Caught the bahn across town to go to KaDeWe and the famous wurst stand. Witty’s didn’t disappoint, it being the best chips and sausage combo we have tried so far – it being organic can only help.
- KaDeWe’s food hall was quite impressive. I like the say that it’s laid out in little stalls. We didn’t buy too many things, but managed to pick up the best Berliner we’ve had.
- Back on transport to visit a marzipan shop, which turned out to be quite small and a bit of a disappointment.
- Trekked across town again to the WeihnachtsZauber Christmas Market on Gendarmenmarkt. Everything was open, but the weather was turning bad again. It had the best food of all the markets we’ve been to so far, but actually, for a market you have to pay for, it was better than I thought.
- It meant though, that we had time to visit Fassbender & Rausch, the famous chocolate shop and drink so very yummy hot chocolate.
- Back to hotel, after wondering through the finally opened Postdamer Platz Winterwelt Christmas market and picking up more food.
- A very crowded ride to the airport, then a big delay for the plane because of rain in London, and made it home before 10pm.i>
Food
- mandarin
- Witty’s:
- curry wrust
- fries with satay sauce
- Berliner jam donut
- marzipan
- Christmas market:
- tree cake
- bratwurst with bun
- fried dough with garlic
- Austrian flour batter with cinnamon sugar
- mulled wine
- mulled apple drink
- bratwurst #2 with bun
- Fassbender & Rausch:
- chilli hot chocolate
- coffee hot chocolate
- Lufthansa:
- apple
Berlin
Highlight
- Early start to go to the Reichstag
- No line, good weather, interesting audio guide and photos, but had to wait for ages for Elaine to finish.
- Waited for our tour to start. Luckily they didn’t put too many people on each group on the tour.
- Our Scottish tour guide Emma was very knowledgeable on history and was no nonsense.
- Walked through some of the major sites:Branbenburg Gate, Reichstag, Jewish memorial, Nazi architecture at the tax building, Bits of Berlin Wall at Topography of Terror, Checkpoint Charlie, Babelplatz, Museum island
- Tried to find some wurst for lunch, but we were out of luck, didn’t even see any at the Curry wrust museum!
- Was really tired and hungry after our 3.5 hrs tour, so didn’t bother going to any museums, just to the to get something to eat, before going back to hotel to rest.
- Made use of the lovely rooftop pool again, it was much less crowded so it was very nice.
- First Floor was a much nicer experience than Margaux. The restaurant is more old stuff, the food slightly more traditional and much more tasty.
- Desserts weren’t quite as creative but we got out at a very reasonable time.
Food
- apple strudel
- apricot strudel
- carrot strudel
- grapes
- Aroma café:
- goulash soup with bread
- pretzel
- curry wurst
- potatoes and bacon
- apple
- First Floor:
- pike fish with beetroot sauce
- bread sticks with beetroot, parsley and sour cream dips
- walnut, multi-grain, pretzel, white, wholemeal bread
- Lobster, red mullet, cod, duck with foie gras jus, coffee dessert
- Fish menu - Variation of tuna with avocado
- Fried scallops with romanesco and truffled cream sauce
- Red mullet in bouillabaisse broth
- Cod with green cabbage and mustard sauce
- Little soup of baked apple with almonds and rum raisin ice-cream
- mini cheesecake, lemon tart, sugar lolly, flapjack
Berlin
Highlight
- Plane arrived early. We got to our hotel in very good time, and actually had to wait for Elaine before going out.
- Weather was very nice, quite mild.
- Checked out briefly the Christmas market and the toboggan slope, and ate our first of many sausages
- Made our way to the excellent Winterfeldtmarkt, where there were all manners of the usual knick knacks, as well as great food stalls.
- It got dark quite quickly, so we tried to check out the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag, but the line was just too long to wait.
- We went for a brief walk around the Tiergarden, but it was getting too dark, and there wasn’t much to see besides trees with no leaves.
- Decided to go to the shopping centre near the hotel, where we checked out a few shops, before turning our attention to the supermarket to stock up on Haribo lollies
- Took advantage of the excellent roof top pool to unwind before heading out to dinner.
- Very disappointed with Margaux, especially considering the very high price they charged. The restaurant was so heated up that you just wanted to get out of here. The 7 course menu took 4.5 hours to complete, with a one 55 minutes wait between 4th and 5th course. With the exception of the inventive and beautifully tasty dessert, the rest of the meal, while imaginative, missed the mark on taste. I of course complained, and only managed to get us 2 bottles of water for free – if they didn’t heat the restaurant up so much and make us sit there for so long, we probably would not have got through all that water anyway
- This meant that we missed our bahn back to the hotel and had to walk, and was very tired by the end of it all.
Food
- plums
- Lufthansa:
- bratwurst
- Berlinder
- pomegranate juice
- poppy seed cheesecake
- lemon cheese cake swirl
- grilled trout with dill mayo and lemon and bun
- Margaux:
- baguette
- Tuna & Egg a la Russe - marinated tuna with berbana and Szechuan pepper, eggs a la russe with marinated cuttlefish and crispy bacon, salad of spinach beets, grapefruit and sweet potatoes, Honey eggplant cream
- Pollock & Gillardeuar Oysters - smoked with charcoal, parfait of oysters with chives foam, salad of sea urchin cockles, mustard and lovage
- Bretonic Lobster, Apples & Hamachi - marinated lobster and hamachi with herbs, confit of raw and green apples, jus with fried Fairy Ring Mushroom
- Codfish, Black Salsify & Truffles - steamed with olive oil, glazed black salsify with water cress and black truffles
- Autumn Vegetables - steamed turnips, carrots, celery, chervil, fennel, kohlrabi, Spring onion,s lettuce, filled pointed cabbage, Texstures of fried vegetables, sauteed bread with vegetables and jus of vegetables
- Wild Duck of Mieral sous-vide cooked and stuffed with liver, stew with roasted red cabbage, pumpkin with candied olives, sauge and black pudding, jus with vinegar of quince
- Vacherin Mont d'Or - salad of turnips with black nuts and spinach, cream of goat cheese with ashes of cabbage
- Le Dessert Voyage
- Seaweed & Pumpkin - salad of seaweed, spring onions, red hibiscus, candied lemon and ginger, jus of pumpkin and lime, baked sushi of pumpkin and couscus
- Celery & Chives - celery cooked in sea salt with celery gnocchi and celery cream, Glazed celery with chives and almond oil
- Autumn Vegetables - steamed turnips, carrots, celery, chervil, fennel, kohlrabi, spring onions, lettuce, filled pointed cabbage, Texstures of fried vegetables, sauteed bread with vegetables and jus of vegetables
- Crapaudine - Cooked in sea salt, Marinated with grapes and beetroot, Sabayon of grapes jus, sauce of red wine and turnips
- Black Salsify, Truffles & Water Cress - glazed black salsify with sauce of water cress, Cream of salsify with truffles and truffles jus
- Vacherin Mont d'Or - salad of turnips with black nuts and spinach, cream of goat cheese with ashes of cabbage
- blackberry lolly pop
- chocolates – olive, coffee, honey macadamia
London -> Bournemouth -> London
Highlight
- Well, it turned out to be a glorious day, so it seemed like the whole world decided to descend on Bournemouth today.
- It started off with the very crowded train, which was luckily on time, then the great rush for the whole train to get off at Bournemouth, and then waiting a long time for all the people to pass through 2 ticket gates.
- First stop was off to Castlepoint shopping centre, where there was a market being held. We got a bit distracted though…first we discovered they sell lots of baby stuff at TK-Mexx, which incidentally, we’d never stepped into before this, and then all the shops that had all the maternity clothing…you can’t find them in London, and have to go all the way to Bournemouth to find.
- The farmer market was small, but we did manage to pick up some locally made cheddar.
- Caught the bus back out to the City Centre, where the crowd has truly arrived.
- The beach is probably the best I’ve seen so far in the UK, golden sand, not much waves, cliff faces at the end. The surprisingly thing is that the broadwalk is not too commercial – all of that is concentrated by the Pavilion, with rides and tacky stores, when you get out to the beach itself, there are only a few stores selling snacks and drinks, with more of people’s private hut than anything else.
- We took a walk on the broadwalk, and was happy with the sun shining, the wind in our hair, and the crowd thinning out as you move away from the lifeguards.
- Trek to Chez Fred, but was dismayed to discover that it was not open for lunch, so we lunched on some M&S Takeaway instead.
- Relaxed in the central garden, watching all the families and lovers making a day of it.
- Took a walk around the town centre, but really there is not much there. We ended up going to more shops and buying more stuff, and ate even more ice-cream.
- Went back to Chez Fred to get those infamous pea fritter – which is really mushy teas fried in a dough ball. It was pleasing, and the fish and chips were outstanding too. Worth the trek.
- Spent some time eating in the garden, and took a last glance at the beach, before joining the crowd to fight our way back to London.
Food
- berries & clotted cream and strawberry ice cream (£3)
- pesto pasta salad
- avocado and bean salad
- Italian biscuit gelato (£1.50)
- Chez Fred dinner:
- cod and chips with mushy peas (£4.40)
- haddock (£3.90)
- pea fritter(£0.75)
London -> Petersfield -> Liss -> London
Highlight
- Well, the sun was shining, so off we went to Petersfield on SouthWest Trains again.
- Train arrived on time, and we took a brief walk around Petersfield. The town was much bigger than I thought, with a few interesting shops and a nice town square.
- There was a small market, with food, clothes and others on sale. It was very nice with people sitting al fresco at the square, enjoying the sun.
- Walked to JSW restaurant, where we were of course underdressed, and also the first ones there.
- There had no trouble accommodating the no raw food request, and I even got a different dessert off the tasting menu.
- The food was only ok, the risotto was very nice, but other than that, pretty standard really.
- Set out on our walk, which is part of the Hangers Way. Generally it was quite different, in that it was little paths through bushland rather than on flat ground or through open fields. The highlight was the view over Hampshire from the top of Shoulder of Mutton Hill. The lowlight was definitely trying to avoid the huge puddles or mud, a result of rain the 2 days before.
- We finished the walk by visiting a pub which really was in the middle of nowhere, but didn’t drink anything. I couldn’t finish the 11 mile walk, so we cut it short to 6 miles, before heading home.
Food
- JSW lunch:
- parsnip chip
- green olives
- assorted bread: rosemary, bacon, walnut and raisin, baguette
- Cod with Curried Mussels & Coriander
- Wild Sea Bass with Ratatouille & Pesto
- Fricassee of Sole with Girolles & Samphire
- Mushroom Risotto
- Slow Cooked Lamb with Minted Peas & Wild Garlic
- Pork Belly with Apple Sauce
- Salted Caramel Mousse with Peanut Praline
- Lemon & Tullamen Raspberry Feuillantine
- Gariguette Strawberry Trifle with Earl Grey Tea
London -> Winchester -> London
Highlight
- The train was delayed on the way in, but the weather was nice.
- Walked past the Westgate, then took a walk to the Great Hall, site of the former castle, and saw the Round Table, as well as an exhibition on the
- Walked down the high street, observing the nice statues and the Butter Cross they have.
- The garden around Winchester Cathedral was excellent. And because it was a nice day, there were about a million people there enjoying themselves.
- Maybe it was Sunday, and a lot of it was closed, but we didn’t have to pay the £6 entrance fee into the Cathedral. It was magificent, in the same style as Canterbury Cathedral, but not as grand.
- We spent awhile admiring the architecture, and also took pictures of Jane Austen’s grave. The crypt and the bible were closed off though.
- Passed St. Swithun's upon Kingsgate, which is a little church located on the arch of the Kingsgate
- Off to lunch at the W Arms. It was a bit of a wait, but the food was pretty good. I personally found the beef at Gunard’s Head a bit better, but I loved the lemon posset and the lamb.
- Walked past Winchester College, but didn’t want to pay money for a tour, as we had already been to Oxford and Cambridge
- Passed Jane Austen’s house, where she spent about 6 months of her life, on the way to Wolvesey Castle, which was pretty much all in ruins, but gave an idea of how big it used to be.
- Went to the Winchester City Mill, where we watched a working mill machine ground flour by the flow of the River Itchen, and enjoyed the little garden it has.
- Walked up St Giles Hill to get a good view of the city. It was very peaceful there.
- By this time, it was past 5pm, so all the attractions were closed. We passed some beautiful gardens, looked at the Guildhall
- Went to the station where we caught the train home, which was running 30 minutes late.
Food
- The Wykeham Arms:
- Prawn and Lobster Salad with Marie Rose Sauce
- Slow Roasted Top Rump of Beef served with Roasted Potatoes, Seasonal Vegetables, Yorkshire Pudding and Gravy
- Roasted Leg of Lamb served with Seasonal Vegetables, Roasted Potatoes
- Sticky Toffee Pudding with Toffee Sauce
- Lemon Posset
Exeter -> Marazion -> Gunards Head -> London
Highlight
- The weather unfortunately turned nasty.
- We had a walk around Exeter, but it was so early nothing was open. It was really like any other English town, with a high street with the usual suspects and a nice Cathedral square.
- We walked down to the Quay to see some classic motorbikes and watch a flock of swans.
- I was looking forward to breakfast at Abode – since it was run by Michael Caine, but alas, it was just standard hotel breakfast. Maybe we should have just eaten at Jury’s Inn.
- Drove for a long time, in the rain, to Marazion for St Michael’s Mount – where the weather was terrible. But before that, stopped by to pick up a Cornish Pasty from a little pastry shop, as well as some scones – so our food testing sorted.
- We had to catch a boat out, and then climb up some slippery slopes to reach the castle/abbey. It reminded me a lot of Mont St Michel, except not as grand and missing the shops.
- I found the whole place very cool, especially all the period furnishing they have in there. Imagine living there!
- On the way down, we were able to walk back as the tide has subsided. We picked up some Cornish biscuits as well.
- Drove to Gunard’s Head, which was really in the middle of nowhere, for lunch. Surprisingly there were so many people there, at 2pm! Luckily we had a booking. This didn’t really help though as it still took ages for the food to arrive. I was disappointed with the fish, but the beef redeemed itself. Since we had been there for so long waiting for food, we didn’t stay for dessert.
- managed to make one more stop, to see the Levant Mine and Beam Engine, which was fascinating, and would have been great if the weather was good, as it was situated in a superb location right by the sea.
- We decided that the weather was too nasty to try to go to Land’s End or Padstow…so looks like another trip to Cornwall is called for.
- Started on our 5 hour drive back, and made pretty good time, only got stuck in traffic near the end.
Food
- Abode breakfast:
- croissant with jam
- full English breakfast with bacon, baked mean, fried egg, black pudding, sausauge, tomato, mushroom
- hot chocolate
- orange juice
- steak pastie
- The Gunards’ Head:
- Irish Soda Bread
- Sardine, Roast Cherry Tomato, Marjoram (£6)
- Slow Roast Rib of Beef (£12.50)
- Grey Mullet, Lyonnaise Potato, Runner Beans (£13.50)
London -> Totnes -> Dartmouth -> Exeter
Highlight
- Left nice and early, the weather was glorious.
- First stop was a walk around Burton Bradstock. It took awhile to get over to the coastline, but once there, it was very pleasant, with views of some rocks that reminds me of the 12 apostles in Victoria.
- Tried to make it to the next place, Castle Drongo, but there was so much on the road we were really delayed, so we decided to go to Compton Castle, which was closer to Totnes instead.
- As usual, Slokky didn’t check thing properly, so it turned out that the place was closed on Saturdays!
- So off we went to Totnes Castle, which was very boring, and we finished it in about 15 minutes.
- Had a walk around the town, which had a pleasant winding street and some nice shops, but we weren’t there for very long, as Aileen’s train had arrived.
- So, after more traffic, finally arrived at Dartmouth. It was busy, but it was nice weather afterall.
- We wasted no time in trying to get the ferry to take us to Greenway. The ride was pleasant, and took 30 minutes.
- The house was like another period house, grand of house, with the standard features. I think the only difference is that Agatha Cristie lived there, otherwise, it wasn’t really that special.
- We spent some time relaxing in the garden and also around the harbour, before catching the ferry back for dinner.
- We were a bit early, but got to eat in the lounge area to enjoy some drinks. Too bad I couldn’t drink alcohol as it was the perfect spot for cocktails.
- Dinner was amazing. All the seafood was so fresh and so nicely cooked. I was very happy.
- We also finished early, which meant we could start our drive to Exeter early. This was good, as we were all very tired.
- The hotel was much better than I thought it was going to be, nicely decorated, with a flat screen TV and 2 comfy beds. It was a little small, but otherwise can’t complain.
Food
- cherries
- sourdough bread with dip
- The New Angel dinner:
- Wholemeal, Walnut bread
- Fish soup served with rouille, garlic croutons, gruyere cheese (£8.00)
- Hand dived start bay scallops served with a cauliflower cream and wild mushrooms (£14.50)
- Grilled line-caught mackerel with beetroot salad
- Poached Dartmouth lobster served in a light basil bytter sauce (£31.00)
- Grilled Sea Bass with tempura prawn, pak choi and mushrooms a light chicken juice infused with soya
- Warm chocolate tart served with Devon clotted cream
Gothenburg -> London
Highlight
- Enjoyed an Ikea style breakfast, complete with your own trays, as usual, at the hotel. As usual, I couldn’t eat a lot of the stuff, but at least they had interesting juices
- Got to the Maritiman, the floating museum nice and early. Very interesting to be able to go into all the ships, especially the Submarine Nord Kaparen to see how small and narrow it was
- The huge Destroyer HMS Smaland was interesting because of its sheer size.
- We didn’t get to finish the museum, as we were rushing to get to the boat for Alvsborg Fortress, and, as I thought might happen, the boat didn’t show up, just like the bus from yesterday. It seems after August the whole place shuts down, so even though they advertised the boat, they can’t be bothered showing up. That was frustrating as we could’ve stayed and finished the Maritiman.
- Had to make do with visiting the City Museum – which had an interesting Viking display, but the bit on the history of Gothenburg was pretty boring.
- We finished early, so decided we might as well go to the Maritime Museum as well. This one is again aimed at the kids, and wasn’t very interesting, especially because there was no English.
- We ran out of things to do, so went to stock up on food at Hemkop
- Back to the hotel to have our "welcome" drink at the bar. The sun finally came out, just a little too late.
- Had so much time to spare, so wondered around the Norstrum shopping centre and the bus terminal.
- Enjoyed our food at the airport while we waited ages for the flight.
- The flight was really full so it wasn’t comfortable at all.
Food
- Novotel breakfast:
- dark bread with cucumber, cream cheese, peppers and tomatoes
- muesli with natural yoghurt and dried fruit
- scrambled egg, bacon, sausge, meatball
- croissant
- custard and jam danish
- cardamom bread
- pineapple, watermelon, orange
- blueberry, mango, rosehip juice
- Hex chocolate bar
- crayfish and potato salad
- salmon pate
- dark rye bread
- orange juice
London -> Gothenburg
Highlight
- The terravision bus driver was crazy and I couldn’t’ sleep.
- The plane ride was smooth and arrived “early” as usual
- Managed to get the Gothenburg pass at the airport
- Managed to visit H&M, where the prices were the same as London, but still managed to pick up a few things. Checked into our hotel, then headed straight to the “fish church”, where the fish market is held.
- It’s a very small place, but we picked up some yummy seafood, then sat outside for lunch…the weather wasn’t really great for that though, so we ate quickly and left.
- Was supposed to go for a Bus Tour with the pass, but the bus never showed up. So instead we did the Paddan boat tour. The highlight was going under the hairdresser bridge. We couldn’t go under the cheese grater bridge as the tide was too high. Otherwise, we got a good history of Gothenburg, together with big blasts of wind, but there was really no exciting buildings or sites.
- Off to the Salum hall, which is supposed to be the big indoor food market, but I found it small once again, but it’s all about quality and not quantity, and we found plenty of things we liked. Even though we had lunch, we couldn’t resist sitting down at the counter at Alexanders, who only sell soup and one or two other dishes, to try the famous lentil soup. It was very nice and well deserved its reputation. By 2pm they had sold out of everything except one soup!
- Off to the famous amusement park, Liseberg, supposedly the most visited site in Sweden, where we watched people scream on rides and win giant chocolates
- Universeum – again, loads of kids, especially in the interactive area where it was overloaded with them. We didn’t fight with them to try any of the displays, although they looked interesting.
- Highlight was the live rainforest and the animals that is mixed into the informative museum displays – like a mix of a zoo and a museum.
- Back to the hotel, before heading 200m to our Michelin star restaurant. They were very busy with a wedding reception. People were dining very early to very late.
- The seafood was outstanding, service was a bit slow, but the place was charming to look at with its wooden beams, and the food, when it arrived, was bang on being one star. We had the lobster degustation since it was lobster season, and it didn’t disappoint.
- Staggered back to hotel for sleep.
Food
- crayfish salad with dill
- shrimp and crayfish roll
- Alexanders:
- Greek lentil soup with roll (35 SEK)
- sjomagasinet dinner:
- smoked mackerel with chilli and dill
- dill, aprociot wholemeal, rye, Swedish cracker bread
- Lobster salad with mushroom aioli served with pumpkin,
quince apple and pickled chantarelles - Lobster soup with crayfish quenelle and lobster
- apple and cinnamon sorbet
- Butter fried lobster and cod with horse radish- beurre blanc served with potato fondant
- Brie de Meaux filled with lobster, cheddar and truffle with bread
- Crème brulée flavoured with Sri Lanka- cinnamon served with plum sorbet and apple doughnut
- chocolate truffle
Buffalo -> Toronto
Highlight
- I thought today would be an easy day, being holiday and all, but no, everyone showed up at work.
- Didn’t get to leave until past 4pm, and then waited 20 minutes in the shuttle for Andrew anyway.
- Went to gym, packed, and then went quite early to the bus station in case.
- Well, no need for that since the bus was running more than 1 hour late.
- Luckily, after that there were no delays. We got through customs relatively quickly
Food
- Casa di Pizza steak pizza
- Doubletree breakfast:
- cranberry and grape juice
- Fresh Fruit Cup
- blueberry muffin
- Duck curry
Buffalo
Highlight
- Had to update rules some more, but after that, got a relive from testing…etc. So got a chance to catch up on all my other work, thank goodness.
- Made it to the farmers market during a break from the rain. It was really cool. Not that big, but I managed to pick up a few things, and we sat in the sun with our hot dogs and caught the end of the daily music.
- Went inside some of the buildings, and got myself an ice-cream sundae from the Charlie the Butchers stall.
- Tried to go to Bistro Europa, but found out it was closed, so made do with Casa di Pizza across the street. As soon as I sat down and looked around, I knew I had made a mistake. Every single person eating there was severely overweight…
- The pizza I got, as expected, was really thick and loaded with cheese – but tasted really bland. Maybe I ordered wrong or something but it was so disgusting. I managed to eat about half of the smallest size I could get.
- Watched the exciting Wimbledon semi before doing the laundry and going to bed.
Food
- Doubletree breakfast:
- Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice ($2.25)
- Fresh Fruit Cup
- Corn Muffin
- hot dog with mustard, ketchup, pickle and onions($1.50)
- Charlie the Butcher Mexican Ice Cream Sundae($4.35)
- raspberry, peach, blueberry and cherry cream cheese cookies.($4)
- Casa di Pizzadinner:
- Steak pizza ($15 small) – light olive oil based, grated romano, fresh tomatoes, spinach, onions, thin sliced rib eye steak, topped with Monterey jack, cheddar and mozzarella
Buffalo
Highlight
- So the problems start again, and I spent all morning running around trying to solve it.
- They were celebrating Wimbledon…and I miss out on all the fun, but did get to have really sweet strawberries and cream. Could’ve had my picture taken with the Wimbledon trophy but didn’t want to line up.
- Then spent all afternoon doing stupid mapping rules and my brain turned to mush.
- Another long day because we were finally going to Mothers. I had heard such good things about it, but read reviews about how the service was crap. Well, the place was so weird! The waiters were really bad, they just ignore you all the time, and don’t deliver. The restaurant has an intimate setting, but they turn the music up really loud and the tables are really close to one another.
- The food – appetisers were good, the soup was so,so, and the mains had nice potatoes. The lamb was tasty, but was really fatty, and wasn’t cooked to order. I ordered medium well, but it was much closer to medium. Good thing they gave you a lot, so I could leave all the red bits.
Food
- Doubletree breakfast:
- Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice ($2.25)
- HC Baked Blueberry French Toast: 2 slices of French toast baked with light cream cheese, blueberries, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, light sour cream and fat-free yogurt. Topped with confectioner sugar and maple syrup ($8.95)
- salad with roasted vegetables, Asian dressing, cucumber
- strawberries and cream
- Mothers dinner:
- bread with butter
- St Louis ribs with mustard sauce and coleslaw
- Sausage stuffed portabello mushroom
- mushroom and asparagus soup
- 8 oz lamb chops with masala wine sauce, green beans and roast potatoes
Buffalo
Highlight
- Wow, a day without any major problems! Amazing.
- Spent all day doing admin work and it went so slowly.
- Decided to eat healthy today after feeling so sick from Subway.
- Andrew decided he wanted to go out afterall, so we sat outside, while the weather was nice, at the Saigon Café. The food was not as good as last time, I found both the soup and the duck sauce too sweet, but the duck itself was very flavoursome.
- Got a call back from the GM about my “problem”. They just apologised and said it won’t happen again, but didn’t offer me any sort of compensation.
- Watched Family Guy on Andrew’s recommendation and then to bed.
Food
- Aroma cannoli with chocolate chips and pistachio
- Doubletree breakfast:
- Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice ($2.25)
- Fresh Fruit Cup
- Kellogg’s Smart Start flakes and oat cereal
- Vegetable Lo Mein, Sweet & Sour Chicken, Beef & Broccoli
- Saigon Café dinner:
- Tom Yum Goong ($3.75) - Fresh shrimp & shiitake mushrooms in hot and sour broth, garnished with scallions and Thai basil
- Thai Duck ($13.95) - Grilled marinated duck breast topped with stir-fried onions, red and green peppers, pineapples, fresh ginger in our tamarind sauce served with steamed asparagus
- young coconut juice
Buffalo
Highlight
- I had a very good sleep so wasn’t that tired, ready to face another day.
- Luckily didn’t have too many issues today so got a bit of work done.
- Had Subway again because nothing in the canteen appealed, but bad mistake. I felt so bloated and so sleepy I couldn’t concentrate all afternoon.
- Didn’t need to entertain for dinner again, so went out to try the Italian…I was actually a bit stuffed full of carbs, but what the heck, the pastas all sounded very appealing.
- Food was ok, not anything special, but I did managed to score myself a free cannoli since they had run out of ingredients for more so they gave me one for free.
Food
- Doubletree breakfast:
- Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice ($2.25)
- Pancakes: Stack of three buttermilk pancakes served with fresh berries and whipped cream ($7.95)
- Subway sweet onion chicken teriyaki ($5.20)
- Aroma dinner:
- bread with olive oil and balsamic
- Rigatoni with pulled pork, sweet corn and peas in a cream sauce ($17)
Buffalo -> Niagara Falls -> Buffalo
Highlight
- The sky looked clear this morning when I looked out, so I decided to risk it and go to the falls…maybe it won’t rain until the afternoon.
- Caught the 40 bus again, and arrived by 10am. Pretty much as soon as I got there, the skys opened, and started raining pretty much non-stop the whole day.
- Walked across Rainbow Bridge to the Canadian side. It was really easy, and no problems at all.
- Well, the Canadian side definitely has better views, and better facilities set up for tourists…but it was also more gimmicky and lacked the natural appeal of the US side. I think it’s good to go to both sides actually.
- Bought myself an adventure pass, which included the excellent Maid of the Mist, where you board the boat and go under the falls, and get really wet. It was really fun.
- The Niagara Fury was a 4D movie experience, aimed at kids, but was entertaining and told you a little about the falls.
- Journey Behind the Falls was really crap. You go into these tunnels and end up, yes, behind the falls. But you wait for ages to peek behind this little hole, and all you can see is a gush of water, not really something you want to pay a lot of money for.
- Whitewater walk was also stupid. It’s basically for a chance to view the rapids up close – as in you can catch a lift and walk on a boardwalk, instead of having to rough it if you want to do the same thing for free on the US side. I guess since I was being careful, it was a better choice.
- Spent ages walking around doing all the different stuff, took a load of photos, even though the weather was gloomy and mostly wet.
- Had a nice frozen yoghurt for lunch, because I couldn’t really face pizza or burger after that big breakfast.
- One of the nice things I did visit was the Floral display, which was pretty much in full bloom at this time of year.
- Even managed to visit the gimmicky tourist stores to try some fudge at the Herseys store.
- Spent about 1.5 hrs on the US side, while waiting to catch my bus back. Quickly caught all the views from last time, and it was certainly a lot more busy, but after all the time on the Canada side, the view was not really anything to be wowed over.
- In the end, had to run for the bus, and only just made it.
- Decided to eat some meat, so went to Nektar, which was very quiet, as usual, on a Sunday night. The food was very good though, the meat came pink…which on other occasions I would love, but I didn’t get to eat it all. Which was probably good since they gave me so much food.
Food
- Doubletree breakfast buffet:
- Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
- Scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, potatoes
- Asiago bagel with vegetable cream cheese spread
- Yogen Fruz raspberry, mango and pineapple frozen yoghurt ($5.60)
- Nektar dinner:
- bread with balsamic and olive oil
- Pork tenderloin in mustard sauce with cabbage, smashed sweet potatoes ($19)
Buffalo
Highlight
- The weather was beautiful today. Did some research in the morning, then headed to Ambrosia for a break from the Doubletree breakfast.
- Walked along Elmwood Street, but not all the shops were opened yet. There were a few quirky and interesting gems, but otherwise nothing special.
- Checked out Bidwell Parkway farmers market, which was excellent. There weren’t too many stalls but at least they were different. I managed to pick up some jam and apples, as well as Buffalo wing sauce for souvenirs. Also taste tested some sorbet and had a yoghurt drink.
- Joined the free housing tour, which was very boring because the people on it kept asking the most boring questions. Who wants to know about painting techniques and marketing about a nusery.
- If they had kept to the itinerary it would have been good – visiting old house conversion, an old school conversion, as well as an alternative café was just up my alley really, too bad the execution was bad. Oh well, can’t complain since it was free.
- Spent the afternoon walking down the rest of Elmwood, to Delaware Park. Walked by the river a bit and watched the canoes as well as all the weddings taking place.
- Asked to get picked up by the shuttle, stupid Garrett at the front desk made a mistake, so I got stranded there for 1.5 hours.
- Afterwards I wanted an apology, but the manager in charge, Donna, and Garrett were both really rude.
- I got so mad I went back and wrote loads of complaint letters and left messages for the GM. Unfortunately it was Saturday, so no one was working, also, couldn’t change hotel either.
- Andrew piked again for dinner, so I went to Wasabi, seeing he doesn’t like fish. I couldn’t eat the raw stuff, but I did manage to get some nice cooked sushi. Certainly much better, and cheaper, than eating at the hotel.
Food
- Ambrosia breakfast:
- gyro, scrambled eggs, pita, feta cheese and smashed potatoes
- orange juice
- white cow diary lemon drink ($2.25)
- taste test sorbet, chilli sauce, jams
- Sweetness 7 Café:
- raspberry, strawberry and banana smoothie ($4.15)
- Wasabi dinner:
- Miso Soup ($1.75) Tofu, seaweed and scallion in light soybean paste soup
- Age Tofu ($4.50) - Crispy breaded tofu fried to perfection.
- Spider roll ($9.50) - Fried soft shell crab, avocado, lettuce, cucumber and tobiko topped with mayonnaise and sweet eel sauce.
- Scorpion roll ($9.50) - Broiled eel and avocado on top of a shrimp tempura roll.
Buffalo
Highlight
- Another problem filled day at work, and wanted to relax because it was Friday as well!
- Got held up at work, and then had to wait ages for the shuttle again, so didn’t make it to Albright Knox until very late, about 8:15. There were a few people dining at Muse still, but unfortunately, it was also the day for the NHL draft party, so the menu was hockey themed, which I didn’t liket at all.
- Nevertheless, the food arrived super quick, so I was able to finish dinner before 9pm and still have some time to browse the gallery.
- There were a few gems, along them good pop art and 60s album cover display, and a small selection of Modern classics from the Masters. I also enjoyed the exhibition on Frida Khao.
- Managed to almost finish the whole gallery before I got picked up, only having to rush the last few pieces. So all in all, a good visit.
Food
- Doubletree breakfast:
- Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice ($2.25)
- Fresh Fruit Cup ($3.25)
- HC Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal ($2.25) with banana
- fish sandwich, coleslaw, carrots and broccoli
- Muse dinner:
- Buffalo chicken Wing Chowder ($6)
- Fresh P.E.I Mussels steamed in Canadian Beer with crispy bacon and cheddar, caramelized onion ($10)
Buffalo
Highlight
- Tired again after the late night last night, so didn’t get up and go to gym.
- The weather started turning bad, with bad storm.
- Lots of issues at work, so worked like a dog.
- Managed to not go into the canteen – which was a good thing.
- Finally got out of there before 7pm, went to the grocery store and picked up some Palmers stuff and also got some chips and chocolates that are only available in America.
- Didn’t go out for dinner as I wanted to go to the gym and also do my laundry.
- Since I was so full from Subway I didn’t eat until 9pm, so had to eat at the hotel again. The food was so-so, but I really need to get out!
Food
- Doubletree breakfast:
- Breakfast Wrap: Scrambled eggs, bacon and cheddar cheese in a flour tortilla($6.25)
- Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice ($2.25)
- Subway lunch:
- 6” meatball sub
- lemon iced tea
- white macadamia cookie
- oatmeal and raisin cookie
- Doubletree dinner:
- bread with butter
- Mediterranean Salad Chicken Scallopini – Grilled Chicken Breast in a Lemon Caper Sauce, with Rice Pilaf, Asparagus
Buffalo
Highlight
- Slept relatively well, nearly 8 hours.
- Even managed to do a quick session at the gym beforehand, so it meant that I can go out late tonight.
- Was going to go for a walk since the weather was so nice and hot, but got piled with a whole bunch of work to do, so couldn’t go out, and even had to eat lunch at the canteen again.
- Had to stay at work v late again since going to Manav’s for food so had to wait…don’t want to work such long hours.
- Finally made it there – he has a big house with a big backyard, like most people in Buffalo.
- It was nice weather to have a bbq, Indian style actually.
- They were so rowdy, and drank so much and danced, and all tried to force me to drink as well. It was difficult to refuse.
- Ended up being the first to leave but still didn’t get back to the hotel until 11:15, and didn’t get to bed until 12.
Food
- Doubletree breakfast:
- Raisin bagel with cream cheese
- Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice ($2.25)
- Fresh Fruit Cup ($3.25)
- turkey, tomato lettuce and cheese sandwich
- apple juice
- chicken gumbo soup
- BBQ:
- chicken tikka kebab
- capsicum and mushroom kebab
- Angus cheeseburger
- chickpea salad
- tacos and dip
- orange juice
Buffalo
Highlight
- Worst jet-lag ever, but probably because I slept so early the night before, so I woke up at 3am.
- Ended up going for breakfast very early (omelette was so bland, maybe I chose the wrong stuff) and going to work early.
- Got the shuttle to work, which was nice and convenient.
- Work was a bummer…food was not appealing at the canteen as usual.
- Worked until 7pm, then Andrew told me he didn’t want to go out.
- So I tried to book a shuttle to drive me out, but they somehow mucked up, so I ended up having to wait another 15 minutes.
- By that time I was so hungry I really didn’t want to have to travel out, so I ate at the hotel instead.
- The front desk guy felt sorry for me so my meal was on the house – which really didn’t benefit me at all…and I couldn’t complain when my food arrived so slowly since my meal was already free.
- Good thing though that the food was very nice, as opposed to breakfast.
- This also meant that I wasted enough time and was able to get to bed at 10pm instead of 8pm.
Food
- Doubletree breakfast:
- Mushroom & Cheese Omelet with Swiss cheese ($7.95)
- Wholemeal Toast with Strawberry Jam
- Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice ($2.25)
- pitta bread with chicken, cucumber, tomato, artichoke, olives and pepper on raita sauce
- grapefruit juice
- Doubletree dinner:
- clam chowder with bread
- Mediterranean Chicken Salad marinated chicken served atop a bed of greens with feta cheese, black olives, cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions and greek dressing
London -> Toronto -> Buffalo
Highlight
- Well, very happy with the new journey into Heathrow, around 50 mins door to door, can’t complain about that.
- Not very impressed by BA, as usual. Believe it or not, they now have even less food than their already sorry state! No more bacon or mushroom rolls, no more muffins, instead there’s only toast. The massage therapist was different again, a woman this time, and she was the best yet.
- Another v old plane, just my luck. Of course there was no entertainment on demand and I had seen just about every movie they had on offer. I only watched Anvil, the story of Anvil (it was good!) and that was it.
- At least they changed the wash bag and the menu though, so I got to try something different…although it wasn’t tasty. I left half my fish as it tasted like cardboard.
- Didn’t manage to bump into Andrew until we got off the plane, thank goodness.
- We had Joe again to drive us. I like him. We had to wait 45 mins to get across the border though.
- Doubletree is worst than the Hilton Garden Inn…but the shuttle service will be useful. The walls are so paper thin I can hear everything, and I mean everything, from next door.
- The in room dining menu was terrible, and I wasn’t hungry anyway, and was really tired from only getting 5 hrs sleep the night before, so I retired very early.
Food
- BA lounge:
- grapefruit juice
- yoghurt with cereal and dried fruit
- cherry fruit cake
- BA snack:
- BA lunch:
- Lobster with Pink Grapefruit and Mango Salsa
- Fresh Seasonal Salad Served with Vinaigrette
- Fillet of Sole with Baby Carrots, Gem Lettuce and Lemon Cream Sauce
- Chocolate Cherry Trifle with Strawberry Sauce
- BA snack:
- Artichoke and Asparagus Salad with Classic Vinaigrette
- Fruit Scones served Warm with Clotted Cream and Strawberry Preserve
- Strawberry and Pastry Cream Tartlet
- Green Tea
- chocolate chip cookie
Buffalo -> Toronto -> London
Highlight
- Last day, at last. As expected, they got my laundry bill wrong, but then they didn’t end up charging me for breakfast anyway. It took ages to fix everything up, but I believe it’s all sorted now.
- Sun is out again, but it’s on the cold side than before.
- Not as crazy as the rest of the week has been, went to some actually meaningful meetings.
- Actually got to sit down to lunch for once. Had the clam chowder which was not that great. Note to self, stop listening to Lee San.
- Had a really great stir-fry at the BA Lounge at Toronto, probably the best Chinese food I’ve had for a long time!
- Alas, didn’t get entertainment on demand again. The movies were crap and I tried to sleep, but couldn’t for very long. At least there was no delays getting back, not counting the customs line.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- porridge with dried fruit and nut
- poppy seed and sour cream cake
- fresh fruit
- clam chowder
- BA lounge:
- brie, Leicester blue with cracker, dried apple, berries
- cheesecake
- mixed salad
- Thai green curry stir-fry with chicken and tofu
- clam chowder
- BA snack:
- hot chocolate with warm chocolate chip cookie
- BA breakfast:
- fruist smoothie
- raspberry yoghurt
- fresh seasonal fruit
- warm bacon roll with tomato ketchup
- croissant
Buffalo-> Toronto -> London
Highlight
- Finally, the last day. It started off badly. I couldn’t sleep and woke up early.
- As usual they got my dry cleaning bill wrong so I had to redo it.
- At least it didn’t rain and I lugged my suitcase to work.
- Andrew did his normal annoying thing so I walked out of a meeting with him. Well, he wasn’t physically there so I didn’t’ really walk out.
- We had donuts and brownies and cookies today, so I ate a lot to cheer myself up.
- Nothing much happened, spent another fun lunch with Vince gossiping about work.
- Said goodbye to everyone and went to catch my ride. It was the same quiet driver again, so I actually managed to read and sleep on the ride back, which had absolutely no traffic.
- I got to the BA lounge before 5pm, so had heaps of time to enjoy the good food again. The variety was totally different to last time and very yummy as usual.
- Well, I finally got entertainment on demand, so I watched the beginning of The Reader that I missed before, and then watched Milk, which was very good actually. I also managed to get through about 1/3 of Bride Wars, which was actually not as bad as I thought – possibly because it was set in NYC and I could try to reconginse all the places I’ve been to.
- The service though, was terrible. I didn’t eat food but asked for hot chocolate, which they didn’t even deliver. I waited and waited, and finally I had to ask. It turns out that they gave my hot chocolate to someone else?!?!
- They also didn’t have my coat ready when we got off so I had to wait around while they got it and missed the first connecting bus. Luckily there was no line and we landed on time, so I managed to get home just after 8am, using the iris scan of course.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- yoghurt with dried fruit and nuts
- blueberry muffin
- fresh fruit
- clam chowder
- chocolate brownie
- BA lounge:
- boccochini and tomato salad
- tuna and bean salad
- Caesar salad
- tortellini with alfredo sauce, vegetable, sausage and chicken
- lemon slice
- brie, Leicester and blue with fruit and crackers
- BA snack:
- hot chocolate with warm chocolate chip cookie
- BA breakfast:
- fruist smoothie
- fresh seasonal fruit
- warm bacon roll with tomato ketchup
- croissant
Buffalo
Highlight
- The weather didn’t improve at all, so I caught the tram to the office.
- Back to the boring breakfast buffet.
- Tried to do some more slave labour of rules entering but then got so bored. I was relieved to be going to meetings.
- Was going to head to Papaya again, but instead headed to the Saigon Café (where I paid again of course). The food there was actually not bad, well, seems better than the crap from London, or maybe my taste has been demented.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- porridge with dried fruit and nuts
- bran muffin
- fresh fruit
- Grilled Chicken Ranch Wrap
- chocolate coated strawberry
- grapefruit juice
- The Saigon Café dinner:
- coconut juice ($2.95)
- Crispy Calamari ($5.95)- Tempura calamari rings served with tangy Thai tamarind sauce
- Chicken Satay ($4.95) - 3 Skewers marinated in Thai herb, charbroiled and served with peanut sauce
- Vietnamese Pancake ($6.95) - Crispy Vietnamese Pancake stuffed with shrimp, pork, onions, bambooo shoots, bean sprouts, scallions over a bed of lettuce, sweet basil leaves, and sweet garlic sauce
- Pattaya Catfish ($13.95) - Fillet catfish tempura, stir fried with lemon grass, onion,red and green peppers, scallions, and basil leaves in house special chili lemon grass with a touch of coconut milk
Buffalo
Highlight
- Used my full breakfast coupon so I didn’t have to eat the same bland stuff again.
- Got stuck doing the stupid data entry again. I can’t believe it, I hate this job.
- Stayed very late entering the rules, but the gym was so full I didn’t even stay for long. There was no space to even do testing.
- Went with Fred and Vince to another barbeque place. The ribs were really nice and the other meat decent, but I think I am beginning to get tired of all the American food.
- The weather has turned bad again, it was bucketing down when we left.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- crab cake egg benedict
- orange juice
- mixed salad
- cranberry and grape juice
- Fat Bobs dinner:
- 2 meat platter with Memphis Pulled Pork Butt and St. Louis Pork Ribs
- Sweet Potato Fries
- Cornbread
- Great Lakes Conways Irish Red
Buffalo
Highlight
- Well, AS is back to work so I had another frustrating and annoying day. Luckily I was able to arrange a few conference calls with IT without AS’s presence, so I actually learnt something.
- Had a nice meal for lunch afterall.
- Found out that Fred is here so at least there is a few more people to socialise with.
- Went to the gym, didn’t do much, but made it to the monthly Hyatt party, where I met the travel relations manager and a whole bunch of frequent travellers. Good thing was that now I have a lot of contacts if I have a problem with my room or if I want some company. We had quite a good time just chatting, and Fred joined us as well.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- yoghurt with dried fruit and nuts
- orange juice
- blueberry bagel with cream cheese
- fresh fruit
- Spanish Pork Chops with Refried Beans and Roasted Corn
- Cinco de Mayo party:
- tacos
- tortilla chips with guacamole, sour cream, salsa
- cheese tortilla
- margarita
New York -> Buffalo
Highlight
- It was still raining this morning when I stepped out. Luckily my flight wasn’t delayed as a result.
- Managed to check into the Hyatt (they gave me a noisy and disabled room even though I asked for a quiet one) and made it to work before 9am. The slow check-in chick in training didn’t help matters.
- Luckily work was not v busy as it was public holiday in both UK and HK.
- Nothing at all to eat for lunch, so I had a chilli.
- Everyone has been banned from travel this week, so there is absolutely nobody in Buffalo. I managed to make it to the gym for once, and then just had a quiet, but very nice dinner (especially the crème brulee) at EB Greens. I don’t know why no one likes EB Green.
Food
- orange and cranberry muffin
- Jamba Juice Pomegranate Pick Me Up - A healthy Smoothie made with Promogranate Juice, Mixed Berry Juice, Real Whole Strawberries and Blueberries, Raspberry Sherbet
- chilli with biscuits
- EB Green's:
- garlic bread
- house salad with blue cheese, walnuts and mandarin
- Queen Size Prime Rib 16 oz with baked potato
- Crème Brule
New York
Highlight
- The rain didn’t let down at all, and it was so miserable out. We didn’t head out until after 11am, and the first place we visited was the Buttercup Cake Shop. There was not too huge a selection of cupcakes and other desserts, but everything looked super nice. I ordered half a dozen to go, and they were very yummy.
- Tried very hard to get money out of the ATM and only just managed. I don’t know why I have been having all these problems with my card.
- Went to a huge Johnston and Murphy store but couldn’t find that bag anywhere. At least I tried.
- Went over to MoMa since today is definitely a museum day. Unfortunately they wouldn’t let me in unless I had photo ID, and I didn’t want to pay the $20 entry fee when it could be free.
- Giving up on that, made a long track to the Met. I got distracted along the way actually, and went to look at the futuristic Guggenheim instead. Unfortunately most of the space was being renovated or closed, so I finished there in about ½ hour. Luckily I didn’t have to pay the $15 entry fee. There were a few gems among the collection though the $3 I paid for the audio guide probably wasn’t worth it.
- Tried to get into the …. But it wasn’t free. They did have an excellent gift shop though so I spent some time on that.
- Finished up at the quite excellent Jewish Museum. The displays were very informative and great. I managed to finish the 4th floor and most of the 3rd floor only though.
- Took the very long subway ride home. It must be the dire weather, as I managed to have a subway carriage all to myself and took a picture of it as evidence.
- We stayed in and ordered Oaxacan for dinner. The great thing about NYC is that you can get all sorts of great stuff for take-out. The food was actually quite expensive and you don’t get much, but at least it tasted very good.
Food
- jerk chicken, rice and beans, mixed vegetables
- Jerk Leg of Lamb – boneless leg of lamb stuffed with Jamaican jerk spices and roasted to a spicy climax.
- The Buttercup Bake Shop cupcakes:
- Red Velvet - yellow cupcake with a hint of cocoa, dyed a deep beautiful red (tastes like a light chocolate cake). Frosted with cream cheese icing
- Lady Baltimore - An almond-flavoured white cupcake filled with coconut, candied cherries, cookie crumbs and almonds. Frosted with meringue and topped with coconut, cookie crumble and a cherry
- Sour Cream Spice - A dense cupcake packed with all your favourite spices, filled with walnuts and raisins. Frosted with cream cheese icing.
- hot chocolate
- Chilies and Chocolate Oaxacan Kitchen:
- corn chips
- Mole Negro chicken ($18) Made from dried chiles, chocolate, sesame seeds, plantain, and tomatoes, served with rice
- Rubbed Meat with Pork, salad and guacamole, wrapped in tortilla
Buffalo -> New York
Highlight
- Got up really early to catch my flight, but everything went smoothly and there was no delay.
- I decided to catch the Air Train instead of the local bus since East NY is supposed to be a rough area so it was best not to look like a tourist there.
- The subway system was so antiquated, even worst than London or Sydney. They don’t have indicator boards telling you where the trains are going and when the next train is. The signs for the station are really small and you can’t see, and the subway is dirty and old.
- Somehow I was on some express service (that I didn’t know about) and it didn’t stop at the station I wanted, so I had to back paddle and wasted 20 minutes in the process, since the subway was so infrequent.
- Took 1.5 hours to get to Helen’s place, and costs me $9.
- We hung around her apartment and met her flatmate and generally caught up. We were waiting for her friend to come and meet us and for that horrible rain to die down before we went out.
- Well, we didn’t end up heading out until 3pm, and by that time it seemed the sun has decided to come out. This also meant that there was a huge line of people who just seemed to have materialised to go to the Cherry Blossom Festival in the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens.
- Before we joined the huge line, we stopped off to pick up some delicious The Jamaican takeaway of jerk chicken and a huge pile of rice.
- We waited in line for ½ hour, but found out we could have skipped it with our employee free pass.
- Finally we were able to witness a whole swamp of weirdos all dressed up in manga character, people in kimonos, and every mum dad and dog all admiring the cherry blossoms that were in full bloom.
- Stopped by the street trolley for some “Italian ice” and then took the long subway ride out to dinner.
- Dressler was very busy, and we were squashed into a little space. I was not that impressed with the menu as it was very typical American and not at all imaginative. I ended up having 2 entrees as I was still full from my 3pm lunch. The food though was excellent, especially the smoky sauce in my ribs.
- We finished pretty early since there was another table after us and we were absolutely stuffed.
- Went to hang out at the Lower East Side, first to Mason Dixon, the only bar in NYC with a mechanical bull. We watched for 2 hrs everyone getting on and getting thrown off.
- Then off to Fat Baby, another bar on the hip Rivington St area, where I had a beer and we got chatted up by a bunch of weirdos.
- Called it a night around 12:30, and then had to take a long subway ride home, so I didn’t sleep until 2am.
Food
- raisin bagel with cream cheese
- hot chocolate
- The Islands lunch:
- jerk chicken, a Jamaican delight. Spicy delicious chicken baked with this unique combination of spices from the island, rice and beans, mixed vegetables ($10)
- plantains ($3)
- rainbow Italian ice
- Dressler dinner:
- BBQ St Louis Ribs ($14)
- Bourbon Glaze Pan Roasted Diver Scallops ($15) – Stoneround Grits, Salsify, Wild Mushrooms and White Truffle Oil
- Troegs Hop Back Amber Ale ($7)
- Blue Light beer
Buffalo
Highlight
- The weather was terrible, raining and foggy.
- Everyone was having a really relaxing day since there were no testing, and I didn’t do anything, since I have to wait for Andrew to respond anyway.
- Had a v long lunch with Vince, gossiping about work. I had the fish fried too, which was much better than the stuff from the London office, but otherwise uninspiring.
- Everyone knocked off at 4pm, and I didn’t want to hang around, so actually went back to hotel to swim and pack stuff and get stuff ready before going off to see Seinfeld.
- Shea’s Performing Arts Theatre was packed to the rafters, and people seemed very determined to have a good time. Some random guys started talking to me and asking whether Seinfeld actually played the saxophone?!?!
- Anyway, Seinfeld, I thought he wasn’t that funny with his scripted material, but the parts where he interacted with the audience was great. He’s a very smart guy, and I can’t believe he’s actually 55. The show lasted about 90 minutes, with Jerry on for about 60 of those. I probably won’t go and see him again but at least I can tick it off the list.
- Afterwards, Hans took me to the Chinese restaurant that he said is the best in Buffalo. It turned out to be a buffet…but I ordered from the menu. The food was very Westernised Chinese, but at least it was fresh.
- So my plans for an early night didn’t eventuate, but I enjoyed myself anyway.
Food
- Hilton breakfast:
- fresh fruit
- waffle with blueberry jam and cream
- vegetable mix
- fried fish with coleslaw and chips
- New Fuji Buffet:
- Stir-fried chicken with broccoli and rice
Buffalo
Highlight
- Another crappy day at the office, but at least now Andrew has left, so you can actually hear yourself think.
- They issued a travel alert warning, so everyone else’s trips are all cancelled. So, I am by myself next week.
- Went out with Joe and Vince for dinner at Bacchus again. I didn’t mind since I like Bacchus. What I wasn’t pleased about was Joe ordered a $75 wine and then ordered the most expensive meals, then we had to split the bill.
- I left the guys to drink at Darcy McGee’s and went back for a swim with a whole bunch of teenagers (not fun at all), but at least I got some exercise in after all that eating.
Food
- Hilton breakfast:
- fresh fruit
- orange juice
- omelette with cheese, tomato and mushroom
- raisin scone with cream cheese
- pizza with tomato
- cauliflower
- Bacchus:
- Porcini Mushroom Soup ($7)
- Duck ($26) - duck confit / boneless breast, mango and greens salad, sesame reduction
Buffalo
Highlight
- Someone from the UK called me at 3am, so I was really tired the whole day.
- Got called “too aggressive” at work when I was just trying to say one thing, so just shut up for the rest of the day.
- Went to a few meetings and had a nice lunch with Vince, without Andrew interrupting for once.
- Dinner with some work people at Hutch’s, which was recommended to me by a few people. The food was not disappointing and the service was great. The only down side was listening to Andrew being worshipped like a god.
- Got home very late. No time for gym at all.
Food
- Hilton breakfast:
- savoury scone with bread sauce
- vegetable mix
- fresh fruit
- orange juice
- range chicken wrap
- minestrone soup
- Hutch’s:
- Half Rack of Ribs char-grilled pork ribs with Hutch’s barbecue sauce ($11.50)
- Escargot with garlic butter ($9.95)
- Beef Tartare
- Norwegian Salmon over creamy polenta, sautéed spinach and fresh tomato ($26.95)
- Crème Brulee
- Chocolate Cake
Buffalo
Highlight
- Jet lag was not too bad, only got up at 4:30am.
- Met everyone at the office again, only a few new faces.
- Usual business at work. Andrew overtook everything and I was kept busy.
- Met up with Ravi for an uninspiring lunch.
- Went to Anchor bar and had some very disappointing wings. Asked for Hot sauce which wasn’t even hot. The servings were the usual huge size.
- Went for a swim at the v nice pool after dinner. It meant I didn’t get to sleep until late but it was worth it.
Food
- Hilton breakfast:
- fresh fruit
- pecan muffin
- scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, vegetable mix
- orange juice
- grilled chicken burger
- Anchor Bar:
- Hot Buffalo Wings ($10)
- Veal Parmigiana – Breaded Veal Covered with Sauce and Topped with Mozzarella Cheese, with Spaghetti Side ($18.00)
- New York beer
London -> Toronto -> Buffalo
Highlight
- Not very impressed by BA, as usual. The lounge had the same sorry state of food, but this time was much more crowded. The massage therapist was much better than last time though and gave me some free samples.
- We got a v old plane. They didn’t even have first class. The seats on Club World weren’t even the new seats and you can’t make them totally horizontal, so you still have to sleep with a tilt. Needless to say, there was no entertainment on demand and I had seen just about every movie they had on offer. I only watched The Reader (it was good!) and that was it. What’s worst, they haven’t even changed the menu from the last time on the flight, and I wanted to order the chicken this time but they didn’t have it available. Food was the same old boring.
- The limo driver this time around was very non talkative, and didn’t even tell me his name. That’s fine by me as I got to read on the way to the hotel.
- Hilton Garden Inn is nothing exciting, but at least it’s a change from the Hyatt I suppose. The room is older, but pleasant enough. I think the good thing is it’s quiet and there aren’t any colleagues staying here.
- Because I was so stranded, I had to order room service for the first time…I wasn’t hungry, but luckily the chilli was really good.
Food
- BA lounge:
- pain au chocolate
- grapefruit juice
- mushroom and tomato baguette
- yoghurt and fresh fruits
- ginger stem biscuit
- BA snack:
- BA lunch:
- Seared Scallops with Fennel and Pesto
- Fresh Seasonal salad served with vinaigrette
- Wild Mushroom Risotto with Broad Beans
- Perigueux Goat’s Cheese and Cropwell Bishop Stilton Served with Savoury Biscuits
- BA snack:
- apple
- Salad of Marinated Feta and Chilli-Roasted Aubergine
- Fruit Scones served Warm with Clotted Cream and Strawberry Preserve
- Sachertorte
- Peppermint Tea
- The Great American Grill:
- Buffalo Chilli ($4.99)
- grapefruit juice ($2)
Buffalo
Highlight
- Had breakfast with the HK guys, as Lee San went to work early.
- Weather has turned cold again, but not as bad as last week. The sun is shining again by the afternoon.
- Another full day where I don’t even have time for lunch. Spent ages trying to get my mortgage worked out, which finally happened, probably just before the deadline.
- Didn’t have time to visit the gym again, as wanted to come home early to pack.
- Got my dry cleaning back, with my cashmere sweater re dry-cleaned and also the hole mended.
- Caught a taxi to Elmwood again, this time to a Spanish restaurant recommended by Amit…the service was the worst I’ve had for a upper class place in Buffalo, and the food was so so. The ribs were very nice, but the paella was really disappointing.
- The HK guys were so funny. It started snowing a little bit (like maybe 5 drops), and they got so excited.
- Managed to squeeze everything into my bags, so quite happy about that.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- French toast and maple syrup
- fresh fruit
- beef and mushroom soup
- Toro dinner:
- Pomogranate martini
- Spanish Caesar Salad ($10) - with piquillo peppers, spanish olives, manchego & paprika crouton
- Braised Baby Back Pork Ribs ($14) - with mango bbq and Thai cabbage slaw
- Paella ($41) - Toro's signature dish that serves 2 to 3 people, made to order with saffron rice, chicken, smoked chorizo, shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels and lobster
Buffalo
Highlight
- Had to get up so early in time for a 7am call at the office, so the breakfast buffet was not even ready…ended up having Tim Horton’s for breakfast :(
- Finally got around to complaining about my dry cleaning. Managed to get $75 from them in voucher, and got my shirt recleaned for free. Not too bad for the effort.
- Decided to try out EB Green’s finally. There was no one there as usual, but I think the steak was better than the chophouse. The funny thing was when they served the baked potato and they ask if you wanted butter for your potato, and when you say yes, they drop about one block of the stuff there.
Food
- Tim Horton’s Cappuccino
- butter criossant
- chilli
- EB Green’s dinner:
- House Salad - leaves, walnut, mandarin, blue cheese, onion
- 8 oz. New York Strip ($26.00) with Baked Potato, butter, sour cream and chives
Buffalo
Highlight
- More boring work day, and long hours as usual.
- Stuck in meeting after meeting, where Lee San just asks question after question.
- Met Amit who is a foodie too, and he recommended he go to Cecelia’s. Had a nice dinner without Lee San and not by myself for once, so that was great.
- Even managed to fit in the gym beforehand.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- French toast and maple syrup
- fresh fruit
Polish selection: Polish Sausage, Lazy Pierogi, Pierogi - Cecelia’s dinner:
- Stuffed Banana Peppers ($9) – Signature cheese filling, crostini, Italian vinaigrette
- Calamari ($8) – Crispy calamari, lemon herb aioli, sweet chilli sauce
- Taste of Italy ($17) – manicotti, eggplant parmegiana, breaded cutlet of veal, house tomato sauce
- Pischascio cake with strawberry cream
Buffalo
Highlight
- Got my breakfast for free again…I think they charged me wrong the first time….anyway.
- Harriot’s is under renovation, so all food is now served at EB Green’s… Maybe that’s why we get hot food now.
- Horrible day where I worked from 8am to 7:30 pm.
- Had another unexciting lunch at the canteen.
- Finally got to meet some of the IT guys I have been talking to for a long time at dinner, at the infamous Century Grill. I went with Lee San’s recommendation of Chili which turned out to be a dud of course, but the mussels were very nice. It was definitely fun to have dinner with people I have only heard about.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- French toast and maple syrup
- fresh fruit
- chicken noodle soup
- Century Grill dinner:
- Century Nachos ($6.50) - Fresh Corn Chips, Jack & Cheddar Cheese, Jalapenos, Red Beans, Sour Cream & Pico De Gallo and Chicken ($2.50 extra)
- Spicy Chili ($3 cup) - Very Very Hot
- Apple Walnut Salad ($8.50) - Fresh Greens Topped with Crumbly Bleu & a Brown Sugar Vinaigrette
- Steamed Mussels ($8.50) - One Pound Of Mussels In A White Wine, Garlic & Butter Sauce With Grilled Bread
Buffalo
Highlight
- They had the full breakfast buffet again, but this time they didn’t charge me.
- Walked along Erie Canel Harbour. It was such a beautiful day, up to 7oC and no wind. The sun shining.
- There were lots of interpretive panels to read and hardly anyone around, os it was very peaceful.
- Toured around the main buildings. Buffalo has a lot of beautiful ones from the 1890s to 1930s, its heyday, and Art Deco style dominate. It’s kinda sad to see the city fade from its glory, but a lot of these buildings are now protected from demolition. Standouts were:
- Guaranty Building
- Erie Community Collete (Old Post Office)
- M&T Bank
- Electric Tower
- Old County Hall
- Buffalo City Hall
- The inside of a lot of these buildings are nice too, so I have to wait for a nice weather weekday to try to visit.
- Watched St Patrick’s Day Parade. It was so crowded, I’ve never seen so many people in Buffalo. There were so quite elaborate floats, and a lot of Irish Dancing, but other than that, they just seem to be lots of big trucks and people wearing green.
- Lee San didn’t want to do anything again afterwards, so I went to check out the Rotary Skating Rink myself. It wasn’t crowded, and it was only $3 to rent skates, but I was feeling a bit tired and didn’t want to skate around by myself, so went back to the hotel instead.
- Wanted to go to Duo the Italian restaurant for dinner, but only to find that it has closed down…so off to Papaya instead. Lucky the food was good, otherwise I would be so sick of that place.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausauge
- French toast and maple syrup
- fresh fruit
- Papaya dinner:
- Spicy Lemon Grass Seafood ($26.00) - Shrimp, scallop, squid, and fresh mussel, spicy lemon grass basil sauce.
- Asian Kiss ($8.50) - Vodka mixed with black raspberry liqueur and pineapple juice; topped with a float of champagne.
Buffalo -> Niagara -> Buffalo
Highlight
- Got up nice and early, and it was a beautiful day. So caught the bus from Niagara Sq and Niagara Street to the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls.
- The 1.5 hr trip, including a bus change, was interesting….but it only costs me $4 instead of about $80 if I caught a cab.
- The outlet mall was smaller than I thought, but that was good as I only allowed myself 3 hrs there. There was so many good stuff, if only the £ was stronger. I bought tons at the Saks Outlet store. Managed to pick up a lot of good quality bags, 2 at Johnston and Murphy. The Coach store had so many people and a huge line, and a lot of Chinese people in there of course. Being Chinese, I had to join the crowd and picked up 2 bags for myself.
- Laden with bags, I hopped on another bus to see Niagara Falls proper. I have to say, the views from the US side is not very spectacular. One time I must go over to Canada to have a look. Still, the amount of water was very impressive, and it was cool to see all the ice and snow that’s formed around the mountain.
- Went for a walk around the island. As soon as you are away from the main viewing area, the crowd thins out, and you can have a nice time wondering around.
- I was going to stay until night time for the illumination, but I had already finished looking at everything and all the attractions were closed, so I decided to head back early and save the illumination for another trip.
- Lee San bailed on dinner again, so I made my way to the Buffalo Chop House. The service was very good, and more importantly, the food tasted wonderful and the service was fast. Makes it easier when you are eating alone.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausauge
- French toast and maple syrup
- fresh fruit
- Buffalo Chophouse dinner:
- Filet Mignon 10 oz ($38.00) aged USDA prime beef
- Steamed Asparagus with Hollandaise Sauce ($9.50)
Buffalo
Highlight
- Got woken up at 4am from next door’s alarm. I could hear it so clearly I knew exactly what song they were playing and how long they were in the bathroom for.
- Another full day at work. Was looking forward to the clam chowder but they weren’t serving it, so tried the chicken finger, recommended by Lee San instead. As expected, it was terrible, so I don’t have high hopes for the clam chowder when it comes.
- Having a girls’ night out with some work people. Supposed to be dinner and movie. Things started out well, we went to the Jack Astor’s bar for some drinks and snacks, but we couldn’t decide on a movie, so ended up shopping at Walden’s Galleria – found some ski jacket but nothing in my size :(. Went to a few shops but things weren’t very cheap at all, and the things that were didn’t fit me. So good thing I didn’t buy anything.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- yoghurt with dried fruit and nut
- seeded bagel with Philly cheese
- chicken finger
- mixed salad
- Jack Astor's Bar & Grill dinner:
- Blue in the City – bluebeery liquor martini
- Mini Souvlaki Pitas ($7.47) - Three pitas filled with marinated grilled pork tenderloin, lettuce, tomato, cucumbers and tzatziki sauce.
- Grilled Chicken Quesadilla ($8.98) - Grilled chicken, Pico de Gallo and lots of melted Monterey cheese in toasted flour tortillas. Served with salsa and sour cream.
- Jack’s Ultimate Nachos ($9.46) - Crispy corn tortillas layered with tomatoes, peppers, onions, jalapeños and a bubbling blend of cheeses. Served with sour cream and salsa.
- Spinach and Artichoke Dip ($7.98) - Spinach and artichoke mixed with Asiago cheese. Served with salsa and crisp tortillas.
Buffalo
Highlight
- I finally got my pass…hurray.
- Spent most of my day on the phone on a call with Chicago, except they kept discussing things that were on a board, so it was useless for me to follow. I really should’ve gone there instead of to Buffalo, but they would never let me go.
- Ate my huge salad for lunch so didn’t even grace the canteen.
- Went to the HSBC Arena to watch the Buffalo Sabres vs Florida Panthers. The Sabres won 3-1, so the crowd was happy. Apparently because it was a Thursday night and also because these people weren’t real rivals, the crowd was subdue. Still, there were so many people there, it was exciting. Not much atmosphere, not compared to the English football .
- Enjoyed American food, and watched American kitsch… Kiss cam, dance cam, lost of campness in general.
- Food was revolting…I only managed to eat about a quarter, but I was full from beer
- A quick hop on the tram back so it wasn’t too bad.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- yoghurt with dried fruit and nut
- blueberry danish
- Spinach Salad
- jumbo hotdog ($3.50)
- butter popcorn
- draught beer
- sour lollies
Buffalo
Highlight
- Had one meeting today, but otherwise an uneventful day at the office. The highlight was probably getting my security pass from the weirdo who has all these America Most Wanted pictures up on his wall…I don’t get my pass until tomorrow so still need to rely on people in the meantime.
- The great weather didn’t last by the afternoon. It was so so windy…I was planning ot walk back to the hotel, but I was absolutely blown away by the end, so ended up waiting in the cold, behind some posters, for the tram.
- Went to dinner by myself again, this time tired Laughlin’s…it’s a bar/bistro but it was dead on a Wednesday night. The food took so long to arrive, and then it didn’t taste that great. Although there was a mountain of it.
- I ate so little that I ended up taking some time because I felt guilty.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- yoghurt with dried fruit and nut
- blueberry muffin
- minestrone
- Laughlin’s dinner:
- Buffalo Wings ($8.95) - Hot
- Spinach Salad ($8.95) - Baby Spinach, Shredded Cheese, Onion, Tomato, Olives, Cucumbers, Almond Slivers, Bacon, Croutons , Egg with Hot Bacon Dressing
Buffalo
Highlight
- Off to work, met almost everyone on the team. They don’t have open plan so it’s good. Everything is kinda old.
- I don’t have a pass so have to keep getting people to open the door for me.
- Checked out the gym, which was really small. You can’t even have more than one person working on the floor.
- Lee San ditched me for dinner so that meant I could go and eat whatever I wanted. Chose Bacchus as it was raining and this was close by, plus you can get points on Open Table.
- The service was really nice, the atmosphere was good….for Buffalo, but the food took ages to arrive. The sauce was a little salty, but otherwise the food was really nice, if a bit expensive, but you do get a lot.
Food
- Hyatt breakfast:
- yoghurt with dried fruit and nut
- blueberry bagel with Philly cheese
- Mushroom and barley soup
- Bacchus Wine Bar dinner:
- Lamb cutlet with Dijon crust, Butternut Risotto and Asparagus spears
- Californian Merlot
London -. Toronto -> Buffalo
Highlight
- BA was doing a roaring trade in the business area, so even though there was a fast track line, there were so many people there that it wasn’t much faster. As a result I didn’t get that much time in the lounge…but I really didn’t miss out on much, as the food was limited and not appealing, and the Elemis Spa was so fast (<15 mins) and nothing to wow over.
- My flight managed to leave and land on time.
- The service, compared to the only other time I flew business was terrible. The air stewardess told me she couldn’t help me put my bag in the overhead locker because she wasn’t allowed to, but told me to stand on my chair to reach it instead? What if I had actually fallen over from doing it? Luckily I found a nice young man to do it for me.
- Flight was bad…even though we were on the new club world seats, they didn’t have entertainment on demand?!? What the. I thought it’s a given in business class since most economy airlines have it now…
- Arrived in Toronto, but there was no one to greet me. Waited over an hour before I found out that I was supposed to go to some booth to tell them I’ve arrived.
- Never mind, once we got over that, everything went smoothly. Joe the driver was very nice, and had been transporting all these people from work for years, so knows them better than I do.
- The Hyatt was better than expected. The room was newly renovated and I like the new decoration. There’s a nice flat screen TV, plenty of space and the right amenity. Minus are that there is no fridge, safe and the walls are so thin you can hear everything.
- Met up with Lee San and went to her favourite restaurant, Papaya, for dinner. I was full from eating so much today already, so just ordered something light. The food was good, atmosphere was good, so I’m sure we’ll be back, especially since Lee San doesn’t eat half the food that’s out there.
Food
- BA lounge:
- pain au chocolate
- apple juice
- mushroom and tomato baguette
- yoghurt and dried fruits
- BA snack:
- BA lunch:
- Seared Scallops with Fennel and Pesto
- Fresh Seasonal salad served with vinaigrette
- Lamb Cutlets with Paloise Sauce
- White Chocolate and Caramel Toffee Cheese Cake with Toffee Praline Sauce
- BA snack:
- vanilla bean ice cream
- Grilled Artichoke and Asparagus Salad with classic Vinaigrette
- Fruit Scones served Warm with Clotted Cream and Strawberry Preserve
- Raspberry Madeleine
- Camomile Tea
- Papaya dinner:
- Tom Yom Goong ($5) - Shrimp, oyster mushroom, lemon grass, galanga, lime leaves, Thai basil
- Pepper Tuna ($10.50) - Pan seared ahi tuna, spicy sesame seaweed salad, spicy daikon relish.
London -> Cambridge -> London
Highlight
- The bus there wasn’t very full, but the seats were quite comfortable with a cushioned head rest.
- Arrived at around 10:30am, on a grey and overcast day, but there were lots of people out and about.
- Our first stop was to be Kings College since we missed out on seeing this last time. However, we forgot that it was Sunday and there was a service on, so we couldn’t go in. So had a talk around the grounds outside.
- As expected, the grounds were very beautiful, with the punts on the Cam, green everywhere, and delightful old buildings.
- Walked around Corpus Christi College with its peaceful lawn
- Visited the Market Square again, with the market in full swing. There was a very small farmers market going on but we didn’t manage to find something we wanted to buy.
- Lunched at a Turkish restaurant. We had booked nothing to start with because we thought we would have a quick lunch, but because we had seen always everything and because I was tired so easily from my illness, we wanted to have a sit-down lunch. The place itself wasn’t bad, passable food (entrees were the best, with each subsequent course getting worst and worst), ok atmosphere. Read the full review here
- Walked around the lovely grounds of Clare College.
- Visited St John College, with the Bridge of Signs and some lovely buildings. Saw lots of people being punted around.
- Had to wait until the afternoon before we were allowed on the inside of Queen’s College. This is actually my favourite, with a Tudor style wooden house, the wonderfully named Mathematical Bridge (rumoured to have been held together without bolts in the olden days)
- Sat around waiting for the Evensong at the Kings College Chapel, since mass is just about the only time you can visit on a Sunday. We had to sit in the back section as we had to catch the bus and couldn’t sit through the whole service. The ceiling was very impressive, with their fan-shaped support, but other than that, the chapel looks like any other chapel. The choir was very very good…and they certainly sang a lot during the service.
- A full bus on the way back. We were stuck in traffic for a long time (typical of every Sunday of course), but luckily we got off at Aldgate instead of having to make our way from Victoria.
Food
- Anatolia Restaurant lunch:
- Mixed Meze:
- Spinach Tarator - strained yoghurt with spinach, garlic and olive oil
- Stuffed Vine Leaves - vine leaves, pine kernels
- Pilaki - pinto beans in a tomato sauce
- Cacik - Yoghurt with cucumber and a hint of garlic
- Humus - puree of chick peas, tahini, lemon and garlic
- Tabbouleh - parsley salad with mint, bulgar, tomato and onion
- Borek - filo pastry filled with cheese, parsley and herbs
- Chicken Shish - Marinated grilled chicken on a skewer
- Kul Basti - Grilled fillets of lamb with oregano and mint sauce
- Baklava - Crushed nuts in a filo pastry topped with syrup
London -> Canterbury -> London
Highlight
- For once there was no trouble with the transport.
- As we arrived relatively early, we took a quick tour around the central streets before the world came out. The place reminds me of the other cathedral towns we have been to, most notable York and Cambridge in terms of the architecture, the layout and the range of shops.
- Had a quick look at the Westgate as well as a stroll along the Tyne river, with its shady tree setting, before making our way towards the Cathedral in time for mass.
- The Cathedral was indeed impressive, although, as usual, they were doing restoration work on it. Only a very small section of the outside had been restored, and looked very clean, but the rest was in major need of the scrub up.
- For such an important church, there were relatively few people who were at the sung Eucharist. We sat through the very long service, with the highlight being we were actually interacting with the High Priest himself when it was time for the “peace be with you” segment.
- After the service, had a look around the impressive Cathedral…crypt, the altar and the abbey and cloisters on the outside before we left, saving ourselves the £7 entry fee.
- Lunch was very nice at Michael Caines. The portions were very small, like tasting menu portions. We were actually not full afterwards – which really is not such a bad thing The execution was very well done, although the service left a lot to be desired.
- There wasn’t that much to see other than the Cathedral, we visited the old Norman castle, which really didn’t have much to recommend it, as most of it had been destroyed.
- Took a walk along a section of the City Wall, and up a which was artificially created in ancient times.
- Walked to the St Augustine Abbey, but it was part of the English Heritage property, so we didn’t go in.
- Just as well that we decided to skip this for another time as it started raining at this point, quite hard too. So off we trotted to the shops to waste some time before our bus.
- The shops were pretty much the same as everywhere else, but they all closed between 4pm and 5pm on Sunday, so we were still left with nothing to do between 5pm and 5:50pm.
- We actually arrived 10 minutes early on the way back, and there was no trouble, unless you count the mean bus driver who didn’t let people who put their luggage in the back section instead of the front, like he told them, get off at the stops they wanted and made them go all the way to Victoria.
Food
- Michael Caines at Abode Canterbury:
- Twice baked Roquefort soufflé - poached haddock, quail’s egg, hollandaise sauce
- Boudin Blanc - wild mushroom puree, roasted almond foam
- Roast Topside Kentish Beef - pomme puree, wild mushroom, red wine jus
- Pan Fried Mackerel - Serreno ham, smoked red pepper puree, basil and aged balsamic vinegar
- Orange Rhubarb Charlotte - orange cream, poached rhubarb
- Banoffee fool chocolate fudge muffin - caramel and cream sauce
London -> Newcastle-upon-Tyne -> London
Highlight
- Glimpsed the Angel of the North from the train. You can only see it as a speck in the distance. After all the hype I read about it, I expected it to be very spectacular. Needless to say, I was very disappointed.
- Everyone always brag out Newcastle, but I actually found the place very charming. Gorgeous Georgian buildings, wide street, great mix of shops…although they were right about all the people going around in t-shirts in freezing weather.
- Started by touring the historic Grainger Street and the Grainger Market. It wasn’t very exciting, but did contain the original Marks and Spencer Penny Bazaar, the smallest M&S in the world.
- Toured the historic centre, including Grey St, the Grey’s Monument statue, Central Arcade with its beautiful façade around Grainger Town…
- Visited St James Park, home of Newcastle United. But it looked like any other stadium to me. Their shop wasn’t even that exciting.
- Chinatown was very disappointing, there was only one street, and it looked really dead, with the exception of one shop – where there was a line of people waiting outside for it to open. It was an all you can eat buffet, so I was very curious. Since it was Valentine’s Day, all the restaurants were running these overpriced tacky menus, so we actually had no plans for lunch. So we joined the queue…afterall, we are suckers for queues.
- Bad mistake…this Chinese buffet is exactly how I imagined a Chinese buffet would be. I only managed 3 plates (must be getting old, my metabolism seems to have slowed right down), and felt sick from all the fried stuff afterwards. Slokky seemed to have enjoyed it though, said it brought back childhood memories (whereas my parents would never take me to a place like that for my childhood).
- What was really surprising was the amount of people that were coming in and out of this place. None of them really filled up their plates either, they just ate quickly and left, but more people took their place.
- When we emerged 1.5 hours later, we found Chinatown had come to life. There were people filling up all the all you can eat places….that’s Newcastle for you.
- Visited Blackfriars, an old monastery that has been converted into shops. Very charming.
- Visited St Nicholas Cathedral, which had helpful explanation, and doesn’t look too bad.
- Visited Castle Keep (£2.50), where they have an interesting display of some artefacts and you can walk through a few different rooms.
- Walked pass the front of the cool looking Bessie Surtee’s House
- Took a stroll by the waterfront, observing the famous bridges (Gateshead Millennium Bridge was my favourite, better than the Sydney Harbour Bridge lookalike) and the Sage Gatehead, designed by Sir Norman Foster.
- Spent the last part of the day in Baltic, a contemporary art gallery. There was a major perspective on Yoko Ono… and one particular video she said where she tells the world the “Onocode” – using blinks from a torch to say “I love you” was just darn weird. There were also lots of images of her and John Lennon.
- Rang out of things to do after that, so browsed the shops. Unfortunately these closed as well, so spent our time in Waitrose while waiting for the time to get the train.
- Delayed by 1.5 hours because of a broken down train, so didn’t get home until after midnight.
Food
- Lau’s Buffet King:
- Sweet and sour soup
- Fried chicken wing
- Crispy seaweed
- Crispy won-ton
- Spring roll
- Curry Samosa
- Sweet and sour spare rib
- Salt and pepper spare rib
- Peking Spare rib
- Egg Foo Yung
- Singapore Vermicelli
- Beef in black bean sauce
- Sweet and sour pork
- Pork in pepper sauce
- Lemon chicken
- Braised mushroom
- Stir fried vegetable
- Salt and pepper prawns
- Mussel in black bean sauce
- Pork & Veg in XO Sauce
- Stir fried beef with mushrooms
- Beef in black bean sauce
- Stir-fried roast pork
- Seafood & Mushroom Fried Rice
- Fried banana
- Fried pineapple
- Ice-cream with fruit salad
