A fried egg, five crispy strips of bacon and a spoonful of BBQ sauce are the fuel of imagination. I promise. They help brainstorming, they set the tone for a happy Friday and they remind you that being creative is an attittude. Tables with flowers in a glass and people with notepads and pencils. That's the vibe in the Black Penny.
Slightly paraphrasing Maya Angelou's quote: I'd never forget how a place has made me feel. Sometimes you just don't care that the cake is not the best-in-town, that the tea is a normal tea and the coffee is a standard cup of (nice) coffee. All you care about is that the place has been what you wanted it to be for you and your best friend to catch up, exchange your summer stories and promise to each other that the autumn ahead will be utterly bright, like your holidays. Take a seat in Violet Cake's little yard and a sip of your drink. And begin your story.
xO
It's the place where you celebrate your nameday, the pub where you want to take your little brother for a pint, the garden where you can laugh your heart out. It's the let's-grab-a-drink-after-work place with your friends, the pub where you can take your friend's puppy for a walk, the garden where you wish you could be every time the sun sets in the summer. It's the Freemason's Arms and it has a back garden.
xO
There are some places where you can just "come as you are". Some places where you can let your hair down, laugh loud and enjoy the fresh breeze. Some places where girls meet boys, boys play nice music and people let balloons fly. Some places where you give birthday hugs, eat chocolate cake and see the sky changing colours. Some places like Netil360.
A place that looks beautiful in the rain, is unquestionably pretty. A place that is run by gentle people with warm smiles, is undeniably lovely. A place that you've seen in light and dark and you've loved both times equally, is indisputably charming. It's Lisa's and we're going there for brunch again soon. Undoubtedly.
xO
There are these people who carry a special vibe. Who shine a bright aura. And make you feel at home. They live far, but they're close friends. They see you rarely but they think about you often. Catching up with them is precious. And deserves a walk in the park that gets you a beverage and a nibble in a restaurant that is simple, clean and genuine. Like Fields Bar & Kitchen. Like them, D.
This is another post for another city. A city that is not just close to my heart; a city that has rather defined and formed my whole heart.
This is a post with some flavour of Athens in May; just a spoonfull, just a taste. Of the vibe and scent and people that make Athens such a special place.
Every city has a story to tell. A story that is carefully and respectfully kept in its museums' protective walls. The Museum of the City of Athens is hidden in King Otho's first home. And this home has a wonderful garden. Where Black Duck café is now located. Where you drink your coffee under the shadow of Amalia's palmtree and you feel excited. In the same way as when you discover a treasure in the cellar. Please make sure to ask for Leonidas' guided tour upon arrival. Or stay in the shadow...
Every girl has some interesting stories to share. And meeting your girlfriends to share those is a serious job. Which cannot happen anywhere. It can only happen where it feels right. Where you open the menu and think that there is not enough time to taste everything. A bottle of wine and a 3-hour dinner later, a big hug and a promise that we won't let us miss each other again. Because we loved the place, the food and the way they made us feel in Cookoovaya.
Every new place has a story to write. And the guys at the Pure Juice Bar definitely narrate a colourful, fresh and happy story. D and T behind the counter, mixing pineapple with orange and kale with avocado while chatting, laughing and offering hand-made cookies and cake. You get your juice and you get the vibe.
Every teracce has some silence to enjoy. The sound of serenity. The only sound you need when you climb on the highest rock and stare at that heavenly place, called Athens. You pick a spot at Couleur Locale and you don't move. You stay there and enjoy the sun going down together with a cocktail. You try the doughnuts (pretend you're Greek and call them "loukoumades") with cheese and honey and take a glimpse of life in the light.
Every loo has a story to hide. And when you talk about its loos you know that the place is special. With quirky decoration, pretty floor and loads of interesting faces. You walk in, order your drink and take the stairs down. To the ladies' in Bios.
Every name has a day to celebrate. And that name is so dear to us that finds us celebrating it in Tomoe - the new talk of the (North side of the) town sushi restaurant. Classy, slick and with good feng shui. Amazing food, smiley people and a beautiful aquarium. Just don't miss the eggplant starter.
Every lovely night has a light spring breeze and the scent of jasmine in the air to enjoy. That night was a night for a lovely dinner, with a beloved old friend. And it was spent with F in Cava Vinifera where we tasted the best Greek wines. We captured all the aromas and moved onto the restaurant next door, where we had a lush dinner in a house that we wished was our grandparents' and a garden that we wished we could stay in for the whole night. The colours, the light, the ambiance were the best decoration for a long due catch up over some dishes that reminded me why Greece tastes of delicious food. And good food in Greek is: "Geuseis".
And this is only the beginning. Summer is just around the corner. And you are about to book your tickets. And come find me. I'll be somewhere in the sun.
xO
London is stunning. You think out loud while looking at it from above. And you realise that sometimes it's good to give yourself time to admire the object of your love. Take some time, take some distance and observe it. And remember why you're here. In a garden. On the 38th floor of a building. In the green. On cloud nine. At the Skygarden. Where all the tours for someone who wants to discover (and love) London should begin.
xO
Like Drink, Shop, Do which becomes Drink, Do, Dance in the evenings. And so we did. We drank, did and danced. And we chatted, laughed and enjoyed it. With 3 friends, over white wine and platters of nibbles. In that quirky shop/bar/disco where I read this line that I carry with me since: "when you dance I fall in love all over again"...
xO
There is no such thing as post-holiday blues. Not when you meet your girlfriends after 3 weeks, in a garden, while the sun is setting, with 2 bottles of wine and loads of nibbles. When you talk stories and news and boys and thoughts. And when this garden is The Engineer and what's ahead is spring and sun and the best to come.
xO
This is how you feel in your late (OK, very late) 20s in London while enjoying cocktails with your best friends in a bar with high ceiling, a fireplace, beautiful people and lovely plants. Where you celebrate your friendship, their new job, your new dress and your plans for all the glorious days ahead. This is the place to host these big dreams, high hopes and extra large love: the Chiltern Firehouse. Such a glamorous, chic, wonderful bar that makes your eyes sparkle. And that spark becomes a flame.
xO
...writing for another city. A city with lovely canals, beautiful flowers and hipster bicycles. And great places to visit.
Like the De Laatste Kruimel cafè with the most delicious warm sandwiches and the best muffins to go with your coffee. You sit in your grandma's cosy kitchen or on her balcony above the canal for morning chats and laughs and plans for the day ahead.
Which finds you walking around Jordaan and getting lost in the tiny roads around the canals. While the sun is putting a golden veil over the water, you sit on the bank of the river and order a glass of wine and chips with mayo to nibble. Preferably at Walem or Morlang. Necessarily though with your friend who you haven't seen for months. Because wine tastes better when shared with loved ones.
And after this mellow feeling that wine in the sun can only give, it's time for dinner. In Kantjil & De Tijger for Indonesian cuisine or in Trattoria Caprese just a few meters down the (Spuistraat) road for talliatele ragu served by possibly the most smiley and gentle people in town. And you bring your friends around a table with good food, which is another way of describing "bliss".
Next morning is coffee and apple pie time in Piejpe. Where you want to just sit and browse. To reflect on these lovely days and to plan the last few hours in the city. You grab a table at De Wasserette on the cobbled street and enjoy.
Upon reflection and deep thinking you are found in Brecht for a last pint and this warm feeling of visiting a home that you've been to several times before.
I am (in) (Am)sterdam. With S and A. And I am O(h so very happy).
xO
You walk into a vegetable garden: the artichokes have petals, the vine tomatoes look like blossoms and the spinach grows into a bush. Vegetables are colourful and aromatic and pretty- they are flowers in reality. You walk in La Fromagerie and you keep a note on your phone "to endorse healthy eating". You see the bags of pine nuts, the jars of honey and the bottles of olive oil and you remember how much you love the Mediterranean cuisine. You smell the hundred different types of cheese, the dried oregano and the fresh basil and you "need to get better at cooking".
You find your friends S and B and you talk 10 years of friendship, her lovely wedding and his great talent in photography. You order wine and nibbles and you talk work, dream jobs and thoughts around life over a platter of cheese and charcuterie. You hear about travels and pictures and cultures and you feel you're in the right place with the right people.
xO
I packed my book and my sunglasses, I put my hair up and tucked my scarf in my coat. G sent me to Church (street) and A found me reading my book behind the flowers, in the Green Room Cafe, where life is easy, the vibe is relaxed and the babies don't cry, they just smile. We should come back here, when the back yard opens and the garden blossoms.
We then walked around and into a different era, when people were putting big white roses on the tables and were taking their tea in fine porcelain. When the girls were wearing long dresses and men were sending postcards from their trips. When people were using candles and tea was served with sponge cake. And we time-travelled with our leather suitcase: he was wearing a waistcoat and I was wearing a flower headband. And our dog was sitting in the armchair. We should come back here, at Vintage Emporium, to write poetry one day.
xO
Friday night in Soho is quiet and cosy. With heartfelt conversations under atmospheric lighting with new loved friends. It has the scent of smoked ham and cheese. It has the sound of Sade and of English with that beautiful French accent. It has the taste of wine in a carafe and that of a warm, hearty Ducksoup.
...should be "a thing". For those chats that "cannot wait" and for those friends that you want to have your first cup of coffee with. They set the tone of your day, they make you feel that life doesn't begin only with work and they remind you that London is alive from 6am. You just need to pick the right place that will host your "business-breakfast" and your most un-business chit chat. Because who talks business at 7:45am on a Friday at Hubbard and Bell?
That tiny place behind Waterloo. Where you dream of riding that blue vespa and let your hair blow in the wind. Where you escape to drink your tea, eat some cake and plan your next trip. Where you meet your friend before theatre and you talk love and art and life. That Scooter Caffè.
xO
On a special occasion. With a special friend. We picked the most special of places: a table in the clouds with an ox cheek doughnut with apricot jam, a bread with welsh goat's cheese and a duck leg on a waffle with mustard maple syrup. We saw the most beautiful colours - that of the sunset over London, and we tasted the fullest of flavours - that of unexpected combinations. And we toasted to the person that conceived the Duck and Waffle and everything that comes with, in and around it. And to all these: the ingredients of the special moments in life.
xO
There are some great old pubs in Mayfair and then there is Mr Fogg's. It's not a pub. Not a bar. I promise; it's his home. You walk in and you sit on the sofa, waiting for him to pop out. And while you sip your drink you're starring at that big red hot air balloon and you wish you were in there, travelling around the world in 80 days. This place tells a beautiful story. And the fact that it makes you want to be part of it, it's its success. The lovely cocktails come as a bonus.
xO
You order a peppermint tea and a soda bread (one of the 50-things-to-try-before-you-die), you pick a Sunday paper from the little table in the entrance and you don't read it. Because you lounge and just look around you. You enjoy the ambiance, you browse the 70s kitchen utensils in the glass display, you gaze at the neat-and-tidy young families around you and you take a note to visit the Kitchen Table, upstairs, soon. And here they are: the class of 2003 arrive. And you start the where-are-you-what-you-do conversation feeling this warmth in your heart. The warmth that you get when you're around people you've known for ever, when you taste good food and you enjoy a sunny Sunday in one of London's most beautiful pubs, the Mall Tavern.
xO
"Soho is so beautiful when waking up." I'm thinking while walking to work early this morning.
I'm coming from Holborn Grind. Where I had my first coffee for the day. A flat white. This place has a great vibe. It may be the good coffee, or the guy sitting next to me who designs on his laptop, or the two gentlemen having their work chat. It may be the brick wall, or the lovely barristas, or the water jug with the mint. Or maybe the neon sign. "Love is the drug." Well, while waiting for love, let's grab a coffee here - it'll do the trick.
xO
Is where you meet your friend for a G&T on a school night. Is where you see holiday pictures, talk holiday memories and show off holiday tan. And then digress and talk jobs and dreams and boys. And talk anything that is in your head in general. Is where you "meet in an hour", where you have a favourite spot and (eventually) the waiter knows what your drink is. Is where the basement has a shelf full of board games that "we should come and play" and the ground floor plays nice music. Is the Gallery in South Hampstead and is becoming my local.
xO
Love comes in so many different ways, shapes and forms. One of its finest forms is friendship - and this is what we celebrated with V over a 3-course brunch on that LOVEly Saturday. For precious moments like that you need a place as special (and posh) as your friend (and your Saturday morning!) - this is why our brunch was hosted in the Avenue. A slick and glamorous restaurant close to St. James Park. You walk in and get escorted to your table with a glass of Prosecco in your hands and you walk out unable to remember your waiter's face (who you'll want to thank for being amazing) - you can blame the unlimited Prosecco and Bloody Mary for that. You walk in and admire the light that's coming in through the glass ceiling and you walk out unable to stop thinking of that hearty ham under your eggs Benedict. You walk in and look forward to trying this American steak or burger and you walk out convinced that a brunch is bite-sized love.
xO
...is f-antastic when f-inishing with f-riends. So it was no surprise that as soon as R called me, I trotted to the (Red) Riding House Cafe. This place is what you'd like to have as your local: sophisticated, beautifully lit and calm. It's the place where you feel you have to order a good old strong drink and admire the bartender while pouring it in your glass. It's the place where you sit on a common table and you feel the need to follow the "savoir vivre" rules. It's the place where you stop for a few drinks after work, take your first date to play it cool or just meet with your best friends for a download of your busy week. And it's f-abulous.
And for some (unknown) reason, this is the way I've been behaving all day today... After having forgotten my lunch-pack home I ended up enjoying a posh vegetarian lunch in Tibits, with S. Talking work, digital projects and professional objectives with Mediterranean accents over a £14 plate of aubergines curry, frittata, vegetable tartar and roasted vegetables. "Well, this is lovely for your starter! But where is the meat...?!" I can hear my Greek grandmother asking. Well, I can confess that I absolutely enjoyed my 500gr vegetarian plate but £14 felt a bit too much (for a Tuesday and for a cheeky lunch-break anyway). But what a nice place, with an exciting variety of dishes to choose from (they're following a buffet-style) and a lovely ambiance. Hidden away from Regent's Street's busyness, it made me feel a bit healthier this afternoon.
But my "rock it like a boss" day couldn't finish with anything less than the best gin in Soho: a girly catch up over gins and pies and laughters and stories. In the "Star at Night" where you feel like you've discovered Soho's best kept secret. The drinks are yummy (I had a gin with cinnamon and juniper and another with fig and mint - although I appreciate that the gin connoisseurs would have probably gone with mentioning the type of gin rather than the type of garnish!) and the place is so sophisticated. Service could have been better and more on top of their game, but who cares - it had been ages I hadn't seen J and As anyway...!
...and so are Sundays with friends.
And so is drinking coffee in the Clifton Nurseries cafe, between colours and scents. Where you feel like walking in a fairy tale, where the light comes in through the conservatory glass and the sweets taste like powdered sugar. Where the air is clean, people are happy and the flowers are blooming.
And so is having lunch in the Persian restaurant Kateh. Where the menu makes your mouth water and the food is full of flavour. Where the stews taste like they've been cooked by a Persian mum and the char-grilled meats are spicy and tender. And where the aubergine starter is a must-try.
And so is having N and K around. Like they never left.
xO
Friday has to end with a drink. To wrap up the (working) week and to make the weekend feel longer.
With that friend from work that you really like and enjoy talking to about people, clients (aren't clients people too?!) and other stories. You cannot bother walking further than 100 yards (I have no idea how far this actually is but for some reason I feel like I'm sounding very savvy when counting distances in "yards"!) and your office is in the centre of London, just behind the noise of Piccadilly Circus.
Ham Yard is the place to go: it's a gem, but not a hidden one. They refer to it these days as the "talk of the town" and I confirm that it's one of those places that you visit and cannot stop looking around: it's lush! Buzzy and classy and chic. The place where you sip your drink and feel good. So many different spaces to sit in and so many details to look at. You almost want to come here every week to make sure you've sat on every single armchair - it's a must.
Especially if you drink your cocktail in the colonial atrium. And if you go with L, my fellow blogger friend.
xO
...and I thought I'd use it to share my aspiration for this blog with you.
They* told me I should explain who I am and what I'm doing here, first.
I am Olga. That was the easy part.
And I'll be sharing everything/anything that inspires me with you.
English is not my mother tongue, but who cares. Some things will be lost in translation, some other things will never manage to make any sense to you and finally there will be some that will talk to you, in the same language. And it will be fun.
I'll be sharing what I see (and I'm very curious, I promise), where I go (and I don't stay put, I tell you that), what I eat (and I love my food, you'll see) and what inspires me doing all the above with you. Some of these you'll like, some other you won't. And it'll be interesting.
We (me, the blogger, and you, the reader) have one thing in common: the fact that we both want to discover London. Because we love this one characteristic that would make London the best lover in the whole world: you can never exhaust it and you can never get bored of it.
Follow me. And enjoy the ride.
xO
(*I asked noone, but then a writer should always pretend they have some sources...)
PS: This blog is born thanks to Y and R.
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