Friday 28 October 2011

Swings And Roundabouts

The Brighton Pavilion , lovingly knitted in very fine beige wool and on display in a cafe window


Sonata:


Holidays are much better if you don't have any concrete plans . Revisiting favourite places ( Cigala in Conduit Street and eating the definitive prawn , for instance ) or discovering something new ( just how addictive making Pick'n'Mix mini Lego figures could be ) made this half-term visit to England great fun . The weather was glorious , so the mushroom hunt was cancelled .... too dry and sunny for a good "crop" apparently , but sitting in the sun overlooking the 2012 Olympic stadium and eating a perfect selection of smoked salmon was a delight , instead . And the bright blue skies prompted me to go to Brighton for the day on Tuesday . Now that an aged relative is dead and uneasy afternoon teas by the white grand piano ( she was a pianist of the more flamboyant kind ) are no longer necessary , I can zip about the town enjoying the enormous colour and quirkiness that fills every street . I was weak with hunger by the time I got to the little streets in the middle of town and dashed into the whole food cafe .... where I had the ugliest lunch I've ever seen *




and very tasty it was , too ! One day I must go to the Aquaria fish bar , though , simply because of the wall paintings in the patio .... aren't they gorgeous !



In fact , every street had lovely murals and grafitti .... I want this cat on my sitting room wall






Spending time with my two eldest daughters and their families , being stuffed with delicious food and being bounced on by Grandson has quite set me up for the return to work and the whirlpools , quicksands and bear traps involved in working in a system financed by a rapidly shrinking public purse . I've been to two gloomy meetings this week , we've had our annual inspection and an extremely generous preschooler has given me her horrendous cold . But I'm just wrapping my new scarf three times round my neck , stuffing my fingers in my ears and singing "La La , La-La-La ! " very loudly .....

*A baked potato filled with chick pea dhal

13 comments:

molly said...

Yes indeed, that meal does look "like something someone already ate" as I've heard said in Ireland! Glad to hear it tasted better than it looks....Your holiday sounds lovely!

Tania said...

I saw the photos before I read the post and said to myself: "Myself, that is the ugliest lunch I have ever seen".

La La, La-La-La! very loudly is my default strategy for everything lately. Works at least half the time.

rachel said...

I'll take your word for it that it was a delicious lunch, but it reminded me all too horribly of one of Flossie's upset tummy nights.....

Perhaps the presentation was somewhat lacking - put the three elements in separate dishes, and you might have had something less startling?

Your holiday sounds delightful - but I think I should have liked the flamboyant pianist, myself.

Carolina said...

'an extremely generous preschooler has given me her horrendous cold'

LOL Sorry, but that made me laugh. Hope you feel better soon :-)

I'm glad that beige mess tasted better than it looks. Ugh.
It sounds like a lovely holiday.

Lucille said...

That really was the most disgusting looking lunch I have ever seen. It must have smelt nice.

Olga said...

That was an unfortunately ugly lunch, but i do love a good dahl.
Loved the fish mural!

Friko said...

that looks disgusting!

why does health food have to be unlovingly prepared and presented?

I adore Brighton, one of my favourite towns in the UK. I'd love to live there.

Rattling On said...

I thought the first picture was of pumpkins/gourds until I read on, and that lunch... I once made some soup using puy lentils, it looked horrendous but tasted lovely. Never made it since as I think it scared our guests.

Marcheline said...

Ugly, yes... but I can taste it from here! YUMMMMMMMMM.

Liz Hinds said...

Yes, that looks hideous! But I love the fish. Younger Son and Fiancée want me to make their wedding cake as a sort of waterfall with fish and marine thingies so I may have to seek inspiration here!

colleen said...

Love the knitted Pavilion! Thinking I must go back to Brighton again soon. Much more civilised than the hideous Westfield which, I note, you seem to have avoided in your trip to the Olympic Site.

Planet Penny said...

Oh my Lor'! I presume it must have smelt good or it would have been impossible to eat! I love that someone would knit a Brighton Pavilion. It's beautiful, but I can'r imagine waking up one morning and think it would be a really good idea.
Penny x

Tattieweasle said...

Isn't it wonderful to have the freedom to explore a place you love- ugly lunches notwithstanding! Crossing fingers you get rid of that cold soon...