HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy new year everyone!

WINTER WONDERLAND IN HYDE PARK

Last days of the Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park for a good walk, having fun, gift shopping, skating, sniffing the Christmas spirit still going on there and tasting the mulled wine in Santa's Pub.

PETER PAN CUP 2011

What we learned this Christmas in London: English people do not eat the turkey on Christmas Eve. London is a ghost city on Christmas Eve. There is NOOO public transport, AAANY public transport on Christmas Day in London. If you are very very lucky you can find a black cab with a extra charge of £4 for Christmas Day. Lovely.

That’s why, we woke up at six o’clock this morning and had a lovely 2 hours walk from home to Serpentine in Hyde Park for watching our first Peter Pan Cup. London was asleep, streets were empty. We saw first time Oxford Street empty, without crazy shoppers.

When we arrived to Serpentine Lido, some swimmers were warming (?) up already, a Santa was  serving treats and the spectators watching the brave men and women of The Serpentine Swimming Club. At nine o’clock we heard the call of the bagpipe and the race which is taking place every year on Christmas day morning in Hyde Park Serpentine since 1804, started.

One person was counting the seconds and the bravehearts were in a challenge in the ice cold, brown (certanly not cristal clear) waters of Serpentine at Hyde Park.

The pink bodies getting out of the icy water and running through the mulled wine.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

We wish you a Merry Christmas

We wish you a Merry Christmas...

CHRISTMAS ON THE SCREEN

Yesterday evening we went to The Nave (St. Paul’s Church on Essex Road) for a special occasion. Miracle on 34th Street, one of the best christmas movies of all times was on the screen for charity for homeless people.

The church was decorated very cosy, very chrismassy with candles, mince pies, christmas crackers and treats on every table, wooden chairs, a christmas tree, lots of mulled wine for warming up and a lovely black&white movie dated 1947.

Movie was great, mulled wine was delicious, atmosphere was so great that nobody wanted to leave the church at the end of the movie. What a wonderful Christmas, what can we say...

SHERLOCK HOLMES RETURNED TO BAKER STREET

Last friday we watched the new Sherlock Holmes movie, A Game of Shadows in our favorite movie theater, Everyman Baker Street. When we  moved to London a year ago, we lived in York Street next to Baker Street for two months (oh yes, we were neighbours with Mr. Holmes) and since then we keep our fidelity to this tiny, cosy movie theater.

And when the topic  is a Sherlock Holmes movie, it’s inevitable watch it in Baker Street where Mr. Holmes was living. The movie  is brilliant like all Guy Ritchie movies and  Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are fantastic like always. Don’t miss it. Go and meet Sherlock Holmes in Baker Street!

POP-UP TRINIDAD FEAST: TRINI CHRISTMAS

Nine days ago we have been in a pop-up christmas restaurant in Maltby Street Market. We tasted a big variety of Trinidad kitchen and it was a lovely experience.

We went little bit earlier then dinner time to have a drink and warming up with rhytme of music. Actually we were waiting more energy and party spirit but it was a quite serious ambience. So it was more “Taste of Trinidad” then “Trini Christmas Party”. 

We met  our lovely hosts Franka and Chef Hassan. We really enjoyed the food and then moved to the next destination for keep drinking.

This was our feast menu in Trini Christmas: 

AMUSE BOUCHE

Callaloo shots – a mildly spiced vegetable soup infused with coconut milk.

STARTERS

Trinidadian pastelles – the Trinidadian take on the Spanish empanada, but made with polenta and suffed with well-seasoned meat or vegetables.

Trini style ham with hops bread – smoked ham served with crusty rolls and chow chow (picallili).

MAIN COURSE

Caribbean herb and honey turkey with ackee and sage stuffing

Tobago style pigeon peas – saucy stewed Gungo peas.

Stuffed sweet potatoes with creole sauce

Trini Festive rice

Ground Provision au gratin

DESSERT

Chef Hasan’s Ponche a Creme chantilly creme – a boozy rum creme spiced with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg.

A trio of Caribbean cakes including the rich and fruity rum cake.

SANTAS ARE EVERYWHERE: SANTACON 2011

Last weekend we had our first flashmob event Santacon aaand it was wonderful!

Hundreds of Santa came from different directions and met in Trafalgar Square.

Santa’s drinking, dancing with the music, throwing candys and Brussel sprouts to each other, laughing and having fun.

Santas here, Santas there, Santas are everywhere!

They have style...

Santa's rugby team...

Santa is in the detail...

Tired Santa’s having a sun bath in sunny (ho ho ho) London...

HIYA!

Welcome to A Cat From London! We wanted to begin to our new blog with a toast.

And the beer of the day is a bitter: London Pride, Fuller’s flagship beer.

Cheers everyone and welcome again...