Chocolate Strawberry Eclair

Eating At: Berners Tavern, The Edition Hotel. I’ve eaten out quite a lot this week (breathes in) but the exceptional food was at the Berners Tavern, notably this wonderful chocolate strawberry eclair. I love sweet things and will always sacrifice a starter for a pudding because I never can do a full 3 courses without feeling horribly full. I also ate at the Skylon Restaurant on the Southbank on Saturday where they do an all day brunch which I would completely recommend even if the service is a bit ropey. It has amazing views over the Thames, it’s bright and airy and the food (I had French Toast with maple syrup and bacon followed by poached eggs on avocado toast) was excellent.

Watching: Patricia Cornwell’s Portrait of A Killer. I gave up Kay Scarpetta books a long while ago on the grounds that they were so complicated that by the time I got to the end, I’d lost track of both the beginning and the middle! But, hearing that Patricia Cornwell had spent over $7 million of her own money on trying to solve the mystery of Jack The Ripper (her updated book, The Secret Life of Walter Sickert)  was out in February and I’m ordering it!), a friend recommended the documentary on BBC4 to me. It’s honestly gripping (but totally gruesome so be prepared). Her theory is that the ripper was noted artist, Walter Sickert, and there are some undeniably strong suggestions that this was the case. I think what I like most about this is that the Met do not have the resources in hours or in money to try and put this to bed once and for all. Patricia Cornwell, on the other hand, makes no bones about the fact she has a lot of money and can resource it, so does. The book is HERE. Looks like it’s half price and it’s the hardback edition.

Stuff To Blow Your Mind

Listening To: Stuff To Blow Your Mind: Where Is My Mind? I quite often listen to podcasts to help me get off to sleep (Stuff You Should Know is absolutely a favourite) although the downside is that I usually miss the end! However, this one stopped me from sleeping at all because it asks questions about consciousness and the anatomical centre of reason… I know. It’s very highbrow, but it’s broken down into (fairly) digestible chunks. Things like – point to where you think from. I pointed to my forehead: my friend Emma pointed to the back of her head when I asked her about it the next day. Why do we think we feel something in our hearts when actually, we probably feel them in our heads.. or do we? Argh.. see why I couldn’t sleep this time! It’s HERE.

Pom Pom Sandal

Wanting: Pom-Pom Sandals. I love it when BBB readers get in touch with finds that they think I’ll like – in this case, someone flagged these shoes up to me because of the pom-poms! They’re absolutely lovely and £35 HERE.

Faux Leather Jacket

Considering: You can’t have escaped the trend for embroidery – I like it – I haven’t quite found the right thing for me yet BUT I’m very tempted by the jacket above that’s a bit tailored at the back and not quite as over the top as some I’ve seen. Bearing in mind that my entire wardrobe hinges around black skinnies or jeans and white shirts, I think it’s a good fit. It’s £65 HERE.

Also Reading: The Fashion Law. I know I’ve flagged up this site before but I often get completely sidetracked from whatever it is I’m supposed to be doing because of it! It’s a site for all things on-line, fashion – sometimes beauty – and is very quick to pick up and comment on things happening right now. Currently, there’s a feature on the latest Instagram viral fail (a ‘free’ swimsuit.. that ran out of stock too fast), the rise of the Hijab as a fashion accessory and remember the Federal Trade Commission got tough on USA sponsored post non-disclosers? That’s covered too. As consumers get savvier, and want to know more about what they buy and the behind the scenes action, sites like this are so useful in giving a measured, non-hysterical viewpoint that usually has a legal conclusion at the end of it. So we all know where we are. It’s HERE.

Rhubarb Gin

As someone who went from being more or less tee-total to very much liking a glass of rose wine (or three), I honestly had no clue how quickly one glass isn’t enough. I am by no means a daily drinker, but I certainly realised that the amount can go up and up without you really noticing. And the way I noticed was that I put on weight! I’m no judge of weight but I know what I want for me so I’ve cut back from wine and moved on to gin and slimline tonic with a lot of ice. Which has opened up a whole new realm to me – I never thought I could care less about gin! I’ve absolutely no desire to be pissed in front of the TV every night, so I make it light – not very ginny – but it does act as a demarcation between day and evening. I’ve had violet gin (quite nice), sloe gin (I make my own each year for Christmas, but M&S is next best) and now rhubarb gin, which is my current favourite. The slimline tonic cuts the sweetness but it’s still there a little bit and it’s more summery than sloe. It’s HERE. One day I’ll tell you about the time I nearly divorced Mr BBB for trying to make bacon infused vodka.

 

 

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