When the ping of incoming email woke me on December 21st I had no idea a long held desire to travel with my dear friend Petunia and to explore England would coincide perfectly. Petunia's email simply said, "what about this?"
"This" was 7 nights/6 days in London to "explore + feast" on "a culinary tour of the best food that London has to offer with an in-house chef (Alison Bell) and London insider (Leigh Metcalf), and local expert. Within two-hours we were both registered as was my friend Gypsy. Unfortunately, the 10 max limit of participants was reached before two other friends tried to jump onboard.
"This" was 7 nights/6 days in London to "explore + feast" on "a culinary tour of the best food that London has to offer with an in-house chef (Alison Bell) and London insider (Leigh Metcalf), and local expert. Within two-hours we were both registered as was my friend Gypsy. Unfortunately, the 10 max limit of participants was reached before two other friends tried to jump onboard.
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Having spent the morning together at the Chelsea Flower Show, we arranged to meet back at the Belgraves Hotel at 3PM to collect our luggage. Miraculously, we arrived right on time (4PM) at the door of one of two townhouses that had been rented for our ACE Camp in the Marylebone neighborhood across from Regent's Park. No sooner did the door open than we were herded five blocks away to get settled in the other townhouse located on Linhope Street. This, it turned out, was the "American" house where the three of us and a gal from Marin County, California would be staying. A compact three-story home with a lovely living room and sun-filled dining area. |
After settling in, it was back to the Park Road house to meet the others — all Canadians who seemed to know each other or our in-house chef Alison — at a welcome reception and dinner. Upon arrival, we were each given a goodie-bag that included an Oyster card for the tube, detailed descriptions for each days activities and maps to help us not get lost. As our group began to get to know each other, Alison and Leigh and another friend prepared us a delicious meal of perfectly grilled meat, fresh veggies and a very yummy dessert of whipped cream with fresh fruit and merengue bits — a "messy" pavlova, which even I might be able to replicate!
Tired, but not, after dinner Gypsy, Petunia and I took an evening stroll in Regent's Park .
before heading back to Linhope Street.
Tired, but not, after dinner Gypsy, Petunia and I took an evening stroll in Regent's Park .
before heading back to Linhope Street.