Polpo - The Verdict

Went to Polpo last night avec the rentals with the reasoning that as London was pretty much deserted because of the snow we would stand a better chance of getting a table.

And get a table we did. Although we still had to wait 45 minutes. Whilst the rest of the City was empty this place was throbbing with people - just goes to show what great reviews does for a place - everywhere else was dead.

It was all worth it. The food was yummy - and at £83 for 3 people with wine, puddings and tip it's one of the best meals of the year so far...okay it's the first week of January...all I can say is that future meals out will have to be pretty special to trump this.

The pizzetta bianca was delicious - don't share, have one for yourself. The cuttlefish amazing and the liver just right. The wine list was very reasonable and the half litre house red at £9 totally quaffable on a cold winter's night. Service was very friendly although there are a few kinks to iron out (we didn't get our spinach and the bill when it came had a few omissions - heck we're honest) but it was heaving and being so new these things happen.

Will be going again asap to eat more from the menu. There are no reservations so it really it pot luck. Cross fingers this is a lucky year.

Interested? Click on the heading to find out more x

Mum in Brogues

Well, not just any old brogues - my Dad's when she was a bit tiddly one night and decided to get in them to take them downstairs. I grabbed my phone to snap her, but she was already laughing too much - hence the blurriness.

Christmas

Well, Christmas was a bit of a washout, what with the flu and all. I learnt to always have lemsips and strepsils in the house - not nice to feel pants without them to aid vague gruntings of humanity.

Still, present giving is always fun enough to bring me round for a few hours. Gave my brother a Paul Smith man bag, my mother a Cath Kidston shopper (for Waitrose trips) and my impossible Dad running gear.

I did pretty well out of Christmas too, with a new computer. Yay! Too ill to do anything about that though. It's all to brain boggling.

Tokyo - Food

Here are a few pics from Tokyo of just some of the yummy food we ate.

I'm not going to pretend that eating in Tokyo is easy - even with some Japanese getting a menu for Japanese food without a translation is a nightmare because a) there is so much kanji and b)there is so much about Japanese ingredients / cooking terms / dishes that I don't know. I'm familiar with sushi and sashimi and okonmiyaki - but when it comes to yakatori with chicken anus there isn't much I can do to read that. It's easier if the restaurant is a European one because I can translate the katakana, but then at times that slightly defeats the point of being in Japan.

So here is some yummy food.

Off to Tokyo

Well, I am off to Japan very soon.

Have spent the last two days very unwell and immobile due to back problems. It is yet to be seen how I cope on the plane, but I have medication to sink a ship, so cross fingers. Will try and post from Tokyo, but might not be able to transfer pics.

P.s. - *hi everyone* if you want a postcard I've lost my address book so just email my hotmail and you'll get one.

Marni, Givenchy & Thakoon Boots

Regardless of your actual illness my Mum always suggests 'boiling your head'. I don't know why she is so obsessed with steaming, but I always ignore her anyway. I used to HATE it when I was young, especially when done with the addition of Vicks.

When feeling ill the best thing to do is look at pretty shoes and take pills. From top to bottom - Thakoon, Givenchy, Marni - all for sale on Net a Porter

It's only when I posted these that I realised they are all peep toe ankle boots. There, I feel an accidental theme which soothes me somewhat.

Cold Weather Dressing

Am feeling pretty ill, so all the planning that I should be doing for going to Japan is just not happening.

I need to start organising my capsule wardrobe, but all I want to do is curl up under the duvet (because my god it's cold, and the radiator in my bedroom doesn't work). Tokyo is such a style conscious city that I don't want to look like a complete tourist. I hate it in London when you see couples walking about it matching walking boots and waterproof jackets. What is their motivation for dressing like they're about to ascend Ben Nevis?

That said, I am so cold today I've gone for the full puffa jacket, uggs, thermal vest and gloves get up.