My lovely friends Sukanya and Andrew are soon to be wed in Scotland in nearly two weeks time. To celebrate this, a group of us headed out for a 'summer meal of love' on Friday evening.
Once seated, I laser eyed the menu (or so I thought) and devoured the words 'Platter of white bait, white fish, king prawns, scallops and calamari' and sealed my menu choice swiftly with another sip of the delicious prosecco.
In anticipation, I eagerly waited for my seafood meal to arrive. Did I mention that I adore seafood? Well, I do.
I was completely shocked to discover that I had chosen deep fried seafood coated in batter. Horrified, I believe I may have stared in disbelief at my meal for at least ten minutes whilst the table screamed in peals of laughter.
Just goes to show that you have to read the menu very carefully! A shame as I was planning to give my body a bit of a makeover too with nutritious foods before the wedding! I guess I can see the funny side to this rather 'heavy perspective'.
So there you go lovely readers, take your time reading a menu when you are out for a meal.
Never hesitate to ask for further details on a menu item or for details on how a particular dish may be cooked. The more information you have, the better informed you are when selecting from an adventurous menu. Two pieces of advice that I certainly failed miserably to follow though!
After dancing off possibly only a single battered prawn, the next morning I ventured out for a walk along the white cliffs of Dover with friends.
After nearly a two hour train journey from London, it was a pleasure to stretch out our legs and enjoy the spectacular cliff high views.
The gorgeous purple flowers and the bumble bees were the perfect excuse for a photo stop after nearly an hour of walking.
Everything about Dover reminded me of movement, grace and agility. Even the seagulls were beautiful to watch as they swooped over the cliffs and enjoyed the shove from the sea breezes.
It's an extraordinary moment when you get to escape the general bustle of the city, especially during the Olympic season. The sound of crashing waves, calls of the seagulls and sounds of happy laughter from friends and walkers nearby was relaxing and yet made walking a truly pleasurable experience.
Once we returned to London, I am happy to report that we stopped in a Persian restaurant called 'Patogh' on Crawford street who make the most amazing sesame seeded flat bread.
Their houmous is creamy without the extra oils and the saffron rice, is fragrant and delicious.
If you do head there on a Saturday night, be warned that there usually is a bit of a wait to be seated. The restaurant is incredibly popular. A must for that homely evening meal out.
Purple Tip - don't be fooled by the shabby exterior, it really is like dining in a Persian home. You may also want to grab a bottle of wine from Waitrose on Edgware Road, as the restaurant does not offer any.
And so this is the end of the 2012 Olympics! I think I'll head out for a run before the closing ceremony tonight. I am feeling so inspired after the amazing marathon today. What exercise have you got planned for the week?
