Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Brighton, England - A Day by the Sea




With London having such an out of body experience, aka a hot summer, my friend and I decided that a trip to the sea was just what we needed to escape the heat of the city. We hopped on a train from Victoria station and took the one hour ride to Brighton on the coast. As soon as we stepped off of the train we remarked how the temperature was at least ten degrees colder than London, thank goodness for that sea breeze!



We were told that the best restaurant in Brighton is the Gingerman, but sadly it was entirely full and as we arrived at 2pm, there were no further seatings for lunch. Definitely make a reservation here, the food looked delicious. 


We settled instead for a well-known seafood restaurant right along the water called the Regency Restaurant. They have every fish imaginable and everything is locally caught.





Lobster Thermador with hand-cut chips:


Halibut steak with lemon and dill:


We polished the fish off with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and then dove into the very extensive dessert menu. One rhubarb crumble soaked in yellow custard and one banoffee pie ... delicious!



After lunch we had a nice stroll on the beach. There are lots of bars and restaurants, many with live music, amusement rides, small shops and a long stretch of boardwalk.
 








Brighton is a lovely day trip from London, and even when the weather doesn't cooperate, there are ample restaurants, pubs and lots of shopping on the high street to keep you entertained.




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Thursday, July 18, 2013

David Collins - Goodbye to a Design Legend


I was deeply saddened to read about the passing of David Collins, my favorite interior designer and an absolute design genius. David, 58, died on Wednesday from a virulent skin cancer that was only diagnosed three weeks ago. He designed so many of my favorite restaurants and hotels in England; places you will surely recognize because I have blogged on and on about how much I love them. I spend the majority of my social time in restaurants and bars that David has transformed because the surroundings are so inspiring and I adore the sense of drama his rooms create. I was so looking forward to what David was going to do next. His creativity and panache will be sorely missed. 

Here's a look at some of his work:

Artesian Bar at the Langham Hotel, London



Bob Bob Ricard, Soho, London





The Blue Bar at the Berkeley Hotel, London



The Wolseley, London




Scarpetta at the Fontainebleau, Miami





The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon at Fortnum & Mason, London




The Connaught Bar at the Connaught Hotel, London



Massimo Restaurant and Oyster Bar at the Corinthia Hotel, London




Lime Wood Hotel in Lyndhurst, England





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