Keep Calm and Carry On: The Diary of Foodie and Gourmet

Whilst in London, one of my biggest priorities has been seeing my good friend "S" and her boyfriend "M". If you recall, I did a series of posts last year where I got to play tourist with my English friends who visited me in NYC from London. Now the tables have turned and I am the one visiting them! Our reunion took place in North-East London, specifically in the Islington/Angel neighborhood. It was wonderful! Angel wings in "Angel" S, M, and I had a lovely afternoon exploring Islington and doing a lot of window shopping! The main drag is lined with restaurants and many cool boutiques. I had so much fun exploring all of the stores and reveling in the novelties found on the shelves.  Love these tins! Should've bought this book! In the USA, you don't really see "egg cups", but I have learned that they are a kitchen staple in the UK Interesting selection of chapstick A bit lude, but quite funny We eventually m...

My parents and I discovered the Wolseley on our last visit to London. It was recommended to me by the best friend, E --- her father really likes his place. After trying it on our last visit to London, this became our default breakfast spot, so it only made sense that our first breakfast in London should be here.  The Wolseley is very interesting. It's a gorgeous art-deco building that was formerly a car dealership up to the 1960s (or so I have been informed). The architecture of the building is very 1920s/1930s and the use of metal/black marble/gold panelling really sends you back and makes you wish you were a "bright young thing."  As we are in London, I have decided to put my coffee habit to the side and drink tea, since I am in tea-drinking country. With coffee out of the picture, mom and I started the day with a "cuppa" of milk tea.  Selecting breakfast is always difficult, as there is a lot of delicious dishes on offer. After much deliberatio...

After enjoying a spot of afternoon tea at Browns, my parents and I tend to explore our neighborhood in London. I think this is the combination of jet lag and excitement --- but somehow, we always walk around after tea, it never fails. We have been staying in the Mayfair area for sometime now, and we know it pretty well --- still, there is always so much to see! I was amused by this new restaurant outside out hotel The fact that this sign says "rubbish" just screams BRITAIN!  Our first stop was Savile Row. The numerous suit shops and tailors were closed, however, we still had a lot of fun window shopping and picking out outfits for my dad. Some were great, some were a little too creative. There was one suit made of pink crushed velvet and was matched with a yellow shirt --- who wears this?! I'd like to meet the man who does…very badly.  Walking down Regent Street, my parents and I laughed when we saw these bobble heads. (The corgi's head moves and th...

I love many things in life. My family, my friends, cooking, British television, and afternoon tea. This is possibly my favorite meal and nothing beats Browns for afternoon tea. In my opinion, Browns makes THE BEST afternoon tea. Hands down. It has the best ambience, tea, sandwiches, and cakes. This is one of the main reasons why I come to London! For years now, it has been a family tradition to start our vacation with afternoon tea here. We arrive in the morning, freshen up in the room, relax and explore the neighborhood, but at 4 pm, we have tea at Brown's. It's glorious and nothing else says, "WE'VE ARRIVED IN LONDON!!!", like this tradition. The tea room at Browns For tea, my parents and I selected the Brown's Afternoon tea blend. This is a lovely blend of Darjeeling and Assam. Add a splash of milk and it's manna in your teacup. Our selection of tea sandwiches was fantastic. Roast beef and beet root, egg and watercress, smoked ...

What ho! What ho! What ho! A few weeks ago I was in Tokyo, and now I am in London. Suddenly, I have become quite the world traveler. I am so excited to be blogging from jolly old England. If you don’t know this already, I am a MASSIVE Anglophile and London is my favorite city. I love New York City, but London stole my heart long long ago. I’m here on vacation for a bit with my parents and hope to share my adventures with you all. From my day-to-day activities, yummy restaurants, and other memorable encounters --- I will share the highlights with you all!  The beginning of our trip was both touch-and-go as well as luxurious. Our flight was delayed by a couple hours, but we were able to kill time in the Virgin Airlines lounge. My parents and I enjoyed a couple cocktails, had dinner, and just relaxed, as we waited for our plane to board. This cocktail was called "The Bramble." All I remember is that it was rum and blackberries. Very tasty! A shared start...