Discovering Alice's Kensington Wonderland

There really is no better way to discover the most picturesque spots of Kensington and Chelsea than by bike. This weekend I let Alice, and the Exquisite Folly Theatre Company, take me by the hand on a cycling tour through a West London Wonderland in their interactive interpretation of Lewis Carroll's classic tale.

The fun started in the grassy riverside location of Cremorne Gardens, before we followed Alice and her slightly dotty new acquaintances through a selection of Chelsea's most beautiful green spaces, Brompton Cemetery, quirky mews locations before eventually finishing up in Holland Park. In such idyllic scenery, it's easy to get drawn into the story, and the cast members were fun, dynamic and playful - each playing several different, and charmingly barmy roles, and encouraging the audience to get involved in the action (watch out you don't lose your head!).

The interpretation was set in the 1930s, and the company took advantage of the quaint locations and added authentic costumes, chintzy tea sets and lured us in with plenty of tea cakes, fudge, juice and tarts (of course). We met a wonderfully uptight colonel, a totally sozzled sailor, the butler with the world's largest grin, and a marvellously impetuous Queen and her deluded and self-important King, amongst others. Alice and Woger Rabbit were our constant companions and guides, and the cycle volunteers played their part excellently shepherding a large group of novices around the borough on what was a busy Saturday afternoon.

The whole production was fantastic, and felt delightfully raw and improvised at times, with lots of amusing ad lib interactions with pedestrians and a wonderful commitment to recreating a different world, even when the action was taking place in public parks to the stares, and confused questions, of passers by not in on the show! It was such an innovative way of getting the whole family on their bikes, and exploring the best of the borough. Full marks to Exquisite Folly and Bikeminded RBKC. I can't wait to see what they put on next.

For more details on Bikeminded initiative, and to find out about upcoming events, check out their website here.

This little piggy went to Fulham...

Readers of our blog will know how much we LOVE the Big Easy, and so it was with a slight feeling of disloyalty that I agreed to go to Bodeans for dinner last weekend. This very unassuming little place is tucked away by Fulham Broadway and has never really appealed to me if I’m honest. I felt somewhat stupid and very late to the party when I crossed the threshold, took in the strong smell of ribs and realised how popular, thriving and successful it is.

                                              

Themed to the max with all things US of A adorning every wall and surface, this BBQ smoke house is not one for veggies. Luckily I was with a Bodeans regular who insisted we ordered the platter and so was able to get the full fat experience. Dining with a boy I soon realised calories were out the window and I would have to go the full hog if I was going to make the most of the Bodeans experience. We opted for a Blue Moon beer to drink which was deliciously fruity and accompanied the glutinously sticky meat perfectly.

My friend insisted we order nachos to start, at which point my mental calorie counter started racing into the hundreds, followed by none other than the Bodeans' special meat platter. The meat was sweet and cooked well, falling off the bone and not fatty. The slaw wasn't as tasty as I’ve had before and it would have been nice if the meat had come with a couple of sides, considering the price.

                                         

The service was great and the atmosphere fun, although perhaps a little male heavy in the sex ratio! We had a particularly boisterous group of boys next to us who appeared to be having a meat-eating competition which proved very amusing people-watching. The live music and frozen margaritas at Big Easy still win my vote but Bodeans is definitely a winner for the boys.

The ultimate SW6 retreat...at home

Beauty, pampering and general grooming are high on my priority list post pay-day and I am often asked to recommend the best places in the area to epilate, rejuvenate and titillate. Considering myself a girlie-girl who is partial to a mani/pedi, blowdry and occasional oxygen mask I was intrigued to discover what Urban Retreat at home was all about. 

                                         

It was with slight trepidation that I opened my front door to the intimidatingly attractive Caroline, beauty therapist and product guru extraordinaire. Having left the world of beauty therapy for an in-house beauty role behind a desk it wasn’t long before Caroline missed and craved the customer relations she loved and quit the 9-5 for Urban Retreat at home. 

                                       

Having established its name at Harrods in London, Urban Retreat is a well-known and respected luxury spa brand which made me question whether this experience would be transferable to one’s living room. It was with delight that I realised how well they have adapted the product for the stay-at-home market, brining one of the best spa experiences I have ever had to my bedroom!

                                       

Urban Retreat at home is a mobile spa which offers an enormous array of sophisticated treatments, made to deliver at a time that suits you whilst allowing you to stay in your pj’s and fall asleep straight afterwards. I opted for a Keraskin facial and left Caroline to set up my bedroom a là Harrods with a treatment bed, candles and soothing music whilst I changed into my fluffy robe and slippers provided. Worried that I wouldn’t be able to relax in my own room, Caroline soon dispelled this concern and was the ultimate professional. The level of service is equal, if not better to that in a spa and you are instantly made to feel like a VIP customer, despite my teddies looking on enviously.  

The quality of the facial was one of the best I've ever had and Caroline did everything in her power to make the experience as relaxing as possible, from a deep tissue neck and shoulder massage to a soothing eye mask to complement the hydrating face mask. When I came-to I was embarrassed to realise I had nodded off in my own room and sadly it was time for Caroline to leave. Unlike other treatments in local beauty salons Caroline makes sure she arrives early to set up and leaves plenty of time to clear away, ensuring you get the full 60 minutes and never feel rushed. 

                                             

The flexibility is fantastic with customers being able to mix-and-match the treatments, paying a set £70 per hour (excluding Kensington and Chelsea which is £95) and then choosing how to fill the time. Caroline often has girls who book in for a mini mani, wax and eyebrow tint and squeeze it in to the hour which is amazing value for the quality of products used and service provided. Ideal for groups of friends it takes all the stress out of rushing to a salon and then having to get onto a sweaty bus afterwards, next time I will definitely invite some friends round, crack open the wine and make a night of it.


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Give Me More

It's always the quiet ones, isn't it? The unassuming ones, without bombast and fancy decorations which we tend to dismiss, that when we finally give them a chance, prove themselves beyond a doubt. Such is the case with Me Me, the Vietnamese restaurant in the heart of Fulham Broadway. The decor is certainly plain, functional and the lighting scheme (if you can call it that) unabashedly bright. Positioned as it is next that that night club that always seems to be shutting down, near the games hall and some of the other not-so-fancy features of the Broadway, I had always slightly dismissed it as a bit cheap, probably a bit nasty. But not so. For anyone who really enjoys Asian food (and not just for the bright colours, and exotic presentation), this is a true authentic gem.

Prices are really reasonable (£5-10, sometimes a little higher for fancy things like Sea Bass), especially as the portion sizes are fairly ample, and the food we had was fresh, fragrant and full of flavour. Service is quick, but a little haphazard (although very friendly, the restaurant is family run), so my advice would be to order several things to share, and let everybody dig in as and when it arrives. We sampled the traditional Vietnamese spicy noodle soup, Bun Hue, served with prawns and crammed full of fresh herbs and invigorating light and aromatic stock, as well as the Beef Pho, which was a pretty good rendition of the classic Vietnamese noodle soup. The stand out dish was the soft shell crab battered in chili, garlic, salt and pepper, but the 'sizzling beef' also drew inelegant grunts of approval.

Reviews of this place have been fairly mixed, but my experience was really positive. Don't go expecting a fancy night out, and do order a variety of dishes and share. There were plenty of things being carried out to other tables that caused me definite pangs of food envy. If you're looking for a casual, unpretentious evening, and some really refreshing, fragrant, light and spicy food, without breaking the bank, you may have found a new neighbourhood favourite.

Me Me Vietnamese Restaurant
565 Fulham Road, London
SW6 1ES
www.memerestaurant.co.uk

London Tastes delicious but Wales tastes better

Taste London is an event I have hankered to go to ever since it launched and so was beyond thrilled when Wales the True Taste invited me this year. Not strictly in Fulham but every foodie’s heaven I thought I had to share the experience, especially as I have been totally converted from a Lamb hater to Lamb lover, something I never thought I would say. 

                                       

I have always hated Lamb and found it grizzly, chewy, fatty and bitter, apparently this was because I had been eating the wrong lamb...it wasn’t Welsh! I soon learned upon arrival that Welsh Lamb is some of the best-produced meat in the world. With its mountains, pastures, salt-marshes and wild herbs, the wild landscape of Wales creates a magical process, which in turn produces melt-in-the mouth aromatic, juicy lamb every time (look away veggies!). 

                                       

It’s not just the Welsh who think so, I was lucky enough to be a guest of a private demonstration by Italian chef-extraordinaire Francesco Mazzei. Foodies may know that Francesco Mazzei is the chef patron of L’Anima in the City of London. He has been cooking for over 30 years and opened his restaurant in 2008 to critical acclaim. Growing up in Cerchiara, Calabria, he learnt about provenance and cooking at his mother’s side and by the time he was nine, was working in his uncle’s gelateria where he learnt to make ice-cream and pastries. 

It was fascinating to hear an Italian speak so passionately about Welsh meat, and a real education about the fantastic produce that we have here on our doorstep in the UK. When Mazzei had the opportunity to meet the Welsh Lamb supplier, Elwy Valley Welsh Lamb, the fact that it is a family-run business instantly impressed him. He often describes the relationship like “having our own farm next door to us in the City of London.” Jess and I are constantly banging on about the importance of local, authentic and family owned businesses and so as you can imagine this was music to my ears. 

                                           

Watching Francesco create his favourite Welsh Lamb dishes was truly inspiring, not only because I find anyone who can cook with such ease and elegance inspiring but because he was able to marry perfectly the most delicious Italian oils and flavours with the Welsh Lamb. What sounded in theory like chalk and cheese, tasted in reality like champagne and oysters (not literally!). 

                          
 Other award-winning tastings on the stand also included:

--Taste Montgomery

--Welsh Rarebits

--Cadwyn Clwyd

--Abergavenny Food Festival 

--The Welsh Menu

--Blaenafon Cheddar

--Rhug Organic Farm

--Gwledd Conwy Feast

http://www.walesthetruetaste.co.uk/?lang=en