better than chocolate

Yesterday I went to Taste of Christmas, I was supposed to go with my Sister-in-Law, but she lives on the outskirts of Trowbridge, its all country winding roads where she lives, and understandably she didnt want to get stuck in the snow somewhere trying to get home after. This country really doesnt do snow very well!

So James came with me instead...

We got there and James was sulking, and decided to sit down while I went for a look around...

...so I made my way around to the Cuisine au Chocolat kitchen, and a demonstration was about to start, so I plonked myself down and it was the head chef from Sams Brasserie. He made chocolate french toast and some chocolate pancakes...

...I got to try some and they were lovely ;o)

Just as Ian was finishing, they announced that Jean-Christophe Novelli would be up next, so I got myself a prime seat right in the centre and at the front so that I would get a really good view ;o)

It was about 10 minutes before he came on stage, he cooked a chicken dish with a chocolate onion sauce (the aromas were absolutely gorgeous).

He eventually finished and he was standing at the side if anyone wanted to say hello/get his autograph/picture...

...so I grabbed my bag, coat and fleece and joined the queue. James had meanwhile caught up with me (I had texted him to tell him where I was). I woman in front of me (her name was Annette) got him to autograph her programme and I asked if it would be ok to get a picture of him with me. He put his arm around me and posed...

...then asked us what our names were and if we were enjoying ourselves and then he gave me a kiss...

...Jean-Christophe kissed me! Annette didnt get a kiss but I did ;o) It made really my day ;o).

James afterwards asked if he had spoilt the day for me with his sulking and I said that Jean-Christophe kissing me more than made up for it ;o)

for gorgeous surprises we have given you a less cheap room*

When I booked our afternoon tea James suggested staying somewhere the night (perhaps even the hotel where the afternoon tea was). I thought the price would be well out of our league but had a look anyway. Blow me they had a festive shopping offer knocking around £100.00 off of the price of a room. Knowing this would be our only real chance of staying somewhere so posh at a half decent price after lots of umming and ahhing we decided to go for it.

The receptionist actually took us upto our room (as opposed to the usual "the lift is to the left" I normally get). Our room actually had a hall way (weve never been in a room THAT nice) and the bathroom boasted the deepest bath in London (it was pretty deep). The only downside (but a big one in our opinion) was that there was no tea or coffee making facilities! James even rang down to ask and was told matter of factly that "one can order tea or coffee through room service" I dont think so!

Another thing they didnt do there (or rather their bar didnt) was Guinness but haha I found as some Aspall Cider instead (which was also nice). We even had the whole upstairs part to ourselves, it was like having our own private area ;o)

The afternoon tea was really nice and thankfully the finger sandwiches didnt contain any fingers - I inspected them thoroughly before eating them ;o). They could have been minced up I guess ;o), we were actually offered more sandwiches too before we started on our scones and pastries. We were also offered the extra sandwiches before the other people too (perhaps this was because we looked unrefined enough to cause a scene if werent seen to first) who says that being common is bad? ;o).

Thanks to staying the night there I now know how to walk from Regent Street to Knightsbridge I would have just normally got the underground around. Im turning very cosmopolitan! Is that the right word? who knows!

We were walking down Piccadilly toward Fortnum & Mason, and we saw someone about to cross the road and James said that guy looks remarkably like Danny Wallace, and sure enough it was. He seemed friendly enough and James shook him by the hand and asked him if he had anything in the "pipeline" and he said he was working on a collection of his columns. We will be on the lookout for that ;o).

On Thursday we had snow (or rather we still have snow from Thursday)...

* some dialect may have been over exaggerated for comedic effect **

** ok I admit it the guy spoke really good English ;o).