What's on in August

Wow - having just written our guide to what's on in London this August it's fair to say that there is no excuse to have an idle moment this month!

With at least 5 pop-up cinemas, Russian ballet, open air theatre, carnival and cabaret there is more than enough to keep the city buzzing all month long...

Take a look at the first 4 suggestions from our "What's on in August 2011" feature below, and check out the website for the full listing:

copyright: David Parry

1) Summer Screen at Somerset House (Somerset House: now until Aug 7th)

It's here at last and we're obsessed. Huge screen + beautiful setting + picnic + date = unbeatable romance. See our GDG review for more info.

2) Films on Fridges (Fish Island: July 27th - Aug 13th)
It does what it says on the tin! Films projected onto hundreds of old fridges next door to the site of the London 2012 Olympics. The line up is eccentrically sports-centric from Cool Runnings to Chariots of Fire.

3) The Marinsky Ballet (Covent Garden Opera House: now until Aug 13th)
50 years after their first appearance in the West the formerly named Leningrad State Kirov Ballet are back with a stunning programme of ballet. From the classic Swan Lake to the emotionally intense Anna Karenina this is a must see, and with tickets from as little as £8.50 no one can complain that ballet is an expensive date! Click here for our full review of the wonderful Royal Opera House.

4) Portobello Pop-Up (Westway freeway, Portobello:  Aug 4th - Aug 21st)
A fantastic non-profit microplex cinema digitally screened under the Westway. Films include the classic Withnail and I and Cinema Paradiso. Tickets are sold on the door and are just £4.00 - talk about a cheap date!

Click here for the full listing.

Have a fabulous August!

Miss Mary x

GDG July Newsletter

In case you missed it here's a snippet of our fab July newsletter packed full of information on great things to do in London...

"Over the last couple of months London has seen new restaurants popping up with a frequency surpassed only by the NOTW's phone hacking allegations. We've forced ourselves to pick just three of our current favourites… Newish Pizza East on Portobello Road is perfect for a relaxed brunch date - it's a cliché but it's got a cool New York vibe going on and we love it! Pub wise The Devonshire Arms in Chiswick has just opened. Formerly under the care (!) of Gordon Ramsay it is now in the experienced hands of Nick Gibson of The Drapers Arms, Islington. It's an informal pub/restaurant with tasty British food curtesy of it's head chef hailing from The Deanstreet Townhouse in Soho. Finally, we're still loving the current trend for Spanish restaurants and the latest addition is José Pizzaro's eponymous tapas and sherry bar in Bermondsey - cosy and intimate, tapas is made for romance!"

We've got tips on what's hot in London this month, and suggestions on where to order delicious  hampers to give your picnic date the best chance of success!

Click here to read the newsletter in full...

Not on our mailing list? Then sign up here...

Miss Mary xxx

For The Love of Life!

I meant to write this blog post a while ago but life got in the way...  It's a review of a FANTASTIC pop-up restaurant I went to in Clapham at the end of last month.  Keep your eye on the FTLOL website to see if/when they do another pop-up because it is well worth going.

For the Love of Life at Tony's has got to be one of the best meals out that I have had in a long time - and I go to a lot of restaurants!

They had made Tony's (a fantastic greasy spoon in it's own right) into a quirky and cosy little restaurant with fresh flowers, candles and mismatched cutlery and crockery on each table.

The staff were friendly and helpful, not to mention skilful in navigating their way around the tiny cafe! It was BYOB and they kept all the white wines in massive bucket on the counter but never needed to be reminded which bottle belonged to which table... 

The food was absolutely delicious. I started with asparagus with a deep fried soft boiled egg which was cooked to perfection (never a certainty with asparagus). There were lots of murmurs of "how do they do that?" relating to the fact that the egg was perfectly soft boiled on the inside and perfectly deep fried on the outside - too much for our booze addled brains to make sense of!

Next up was a delicious (and not too rich/filling) parpadelle with basil but the star of the show had to be the desert... 

My table all opted for the doughnut station. A sort of DIY doughnut extravaganza with giant syringes of melted chocolate, crème Anglaise and strawberry jam. Not only did the doughnuts melt in the mouth but the whole humour of the doughnut station captured the relaxed and unpretentious attitude of FTLOL at Tony's. The food, the service, the atmosphere were all fantastic but there was none of the gastro-snobbery you sometimes find at pop-ups. 

Their aim was clearly to make sure that we (the punters) had a fantastic evening. Mission accomplished!

If FTLOL decide to do another pop-up restaurant then the team at the GDG would suggest you book it ASAP. The delicious food and the great atmosphere are perfect for a date, and ladies, the brownie points you'd get for agreeing to take your date to a greasy spoon will go a long way!

Taste of London Winner!

About a month ago we ran a competition to win tickets to the Taste of London Festival in Regent's Park... the tickets were won by a lovely lady who took her man along for a date. Here's what she thought of it:

"Hi Miss Mary,

Thank you so much for the tickets. The festival was fantastic - even despite the pouring rain!

Having all the top London restaurants in one spot was quite overwhelming!

My boyfriend headed straight for the Gaucho tent for their signature steak, which was well worth the £5 (10 crowns). We then spent a good hour in one tent sampling wines from different wineries around the world.

I'd heard about Marcus Wareing (The Gilbert Scott) creating a pork pie, with proceeds going to the Action Against Hunger campaign. So we headed off there to try the pork pie and also managed to have a chat with Marcus Wareing himself! We then did a loop of the grounds, making sure to sample all the free foods and drinks being handed out (which there were plenty of!). We finished off the night sharing a bottle of champagne at the French Bubbles tent. It was such a great date night and we can't wait to go again next year!
Thanks again."

For those of you who didn't make it to Taste this year... make sure you put it in the diary for next year. It really is a great festival and, having been for the last 3 years, I can't recommend it enough!

Keep an eye out on the website, our Facebook page, Twitter and this Blog for more great competitions...

Brecon Beacons Mini Break

We've just listed a fantastic new boutique B&B in Wales on the website and couldn't wait to tell you all about it.

Danyfan is in the Brecon Beacons and is run by Emma and Stevie who go out of their way to make sure that your stay is enjoyable, comfortable, relaxing, tasty... the list goes on!

Here's a sneak peek of the feature from our website...

"Far away, in the Mountains of Wales, you’ll find Danyfan.  A small, boutique bed and breakfast, cradled in the Brecon Beacons with the most delicious food and magnificent views.

I say it’s far away – it actually takes about 3 hours from London, but it feels like another world.  If you want supper on the way somewhere nicer than Membury services, try the Foxhunter  – an award winning pub near Abergavenny.  From there it’s another 45minute drive to Danyfan. 

You’ll probably be offered gin and tonic on the terrace when you arrive (if it’s warm enough) or in front of the fire, before retiring to one of the three bedrooms. Ask for room 2 if you want a four poster bed, or room one for the best views.

Brecon is made for walking so pack your boots. On Saturday morning, after a hearty Welsh breakfast, take a walk up Penyfan (the highest mountain south of Snowdonia) and its neighbouring peaks, Corn Du and Cribyn.  On a clear day you can see the Bristol Channel, the Malvern Hills, Pembrokeshire – pretty much the whole world..."

Click here to read the rest of the feature on our website.

For some rural romance out of London we really can't recommend Danyfan enough.

Metro Garden Restaurant

"Within stumbling distance of Clapham Common tube, Metro’s entrance is modest and unassuming, giving no hint of the paradise hidden through its doors. Do not be fooled – I urge you to wander in and let the welcoming staff escort you to the garden delight out back. Forget a picnic blanket on the Common, Metro is the clear winner for al fresco dining in SW4.

Small tables with crisp white table-clothes are dotted around the beautiful garden with ambient music and twinkling lights to help set the mood. The garden itself is gorgeous but Metro are no fools when it comes to the Great British summer and are prepared for all-weather dining. There’s a covered section giving a lovely outdoors/indoors feel and my date and I were glad to be seated under shelter when rain set in during our visit (despite extensive checking of the weather forecast of course!).

The rain could not dampen our enjoyment however and it was a delight to be looked after by Fran and her team for the afternoon.  The staff cannot do enough for you and kept our glasses full and advised us knowledgeably when we struggled to choose from the menu. A small but perfectly formed wine list made it easy to pick a bottle and the Pinot Grigio went down a little too easily (the second bottle even more so!).

Our food came promptly and piping hot and was simply delicious. My date opted for the roast beef (it felt rude not to on a Sunday afternoon) and was most impressed by the laden plate when it arrived. There were delicious cuts of meat with all the trimmings, and so plentiful was the food he even didn’t seem to mind when I stole a mouthful or two which is always a sign of generous portions..."

Click here to read the rest of this review and to see how our Bad Date Blogger (this time enjoying a Good Date!) enjoyed the rest of her date at Metro Garden Restaurant.

A Quirky New Find...

On Wednesday night I discovered a hidden gem of a pub in Fulham. I was on my way to see the Fleet Foxes at Hammersmith Apollo (in case you were wondering yes, they were amazing!) and my boyfriend suggested we pop in to The Pear Tree first for a bite to eat...

Now, I haven't actually written the blog post yet... but I couldn't resist posting a couple of pictures of this fabulous new find! It's tucked away down a very random residential street, but don't be put off, it's worth the walk!

If you haven't got plans for this sunny weekend I would seriously recommend heading over to The Pear Tree and relaxing in their stylishly scruffy garden. The food is delicious, the decor is quirky and the staff are charming. I can't think of a better place to spend a sunny afternoon, and maybe evening...?

THE PEAR TREE

14 Margravine Road

London W6 8HJ 

Tel: 0207 381 1787