Café Culture

Sunday marked our annual pilgrimage to London for the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition. The amazing thing about London is free parking on Sunday’s. This attitude really encourages people to visit London. Sadly here in the Cotswold they take a totally different view and penalize the motorist seven days a week!

Having parked up we headed over to the Wolseley in Piccadilly where they serve probably the breakfast in London. The concept is grand continental café - chic understated décor - discreet efficient service & extremely good food. Each visit I have ’Eggs Benedict’ which are always superb. The venue is great for people watching especially if you are seated at the right-hand side looking out - perfect for surveying the celebrity comings & goings.

After breakfast we headed to the RA, the inner quadrangle now has a sophisticated water feature but when I visited as a child with my father this area was a car park - hard to imagine now. This year the exhibition was as fascinating as ever, you can certainly absorb the artistic vibe - it encourages & inspires you to pick up a paintbrush and see what you are capable of. Even if the result is bad at least you have tried! My favourite room is the Small Weston Room which is hung floor to ceiling in a multitude of small paintings in different mediums. Another room has a wall hung with colourful abstract paintings by Gillian Ayres, now in her 80th year but as fresh as ever. In fact I noticed the charismatic Tricia Guild founder of Designers Guild admiring her work. Other highlights were the ‘monster size Gorilla’ (Silver Streak) made of wire coat hangers, this years winner: Yinka Shonibare Crash Willy - the installation work of a now defunct battered vehicle with the registration no: ‘FTSE‘- the artists view of our battered/crashed economy - what an apt original statement.

Consuming Passions

I have to admit to an extremely serious ‘addiction’ - nothing mind altering, just a passion for Ladurée macaroons. I first became aware of these heavenly temptations in delicate colours - subtle flavours on a visit to Paris six years ago. For some unknown reason I had never been to Paris, my partner and I decided to rent an apartment for two weeks in January - not the warmest time but good for walking. It proved to be a truly magical holiday. The city is architecturally breathtaking, after two weeks I wanted to live there. To fully appreciate this beautiful city it is better to walk the different arrondissements, or as the French say a ‘flaneur’ & explore the different lifestyles/culture. One snowy bitterly cold day we chanced upon Ladurée on Rue Bonaparte. Originally the shop & home of ‘Madeline Castaing’ the influential French decorator. The property was revamped by ‘Jacques Garcia’ the arbitrator of ‘belle epoch style’ who is behind the design of ‘Hotel Costes’. If you appreciate this style of decoration you will be in heaven! As you enter the shop your eyes will be drawn to the tempting array of delicious patisserie in beautifully lit cabinets. The macaroons are the ‘jewels’ in an array of colours & flavours which will be packed in the prettiest boxes. From that first visit I am totally hooked, our kitchen is a shrine to Ladurée boxes I can’t bear to throw out. Though they are now empty I can still taste the addictive macaroons they once contained! Ladurée have four branches in Paris and concessions over the world, lucky for me I can buy them in Burlington arcade or Harrods, so I don’t have to travel too far for my fix. Believe me, once you have tasted one you will be hooked. There are comparisons available but none live up to Ladurée. Visit their website for the whole story http://www.laduree.fr/ , or visit Paris Breakfast blogspot http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/ who is another addict!