Cupcakes

I’m having a bit of a thing for cupcakes at the moment. I’m even considering making my own. Lord only knows what has brought this on.

New York was super. The weather was fantastic. Clear blue skies all day and not too cold at all. The sales were in full swing by the time we awoke on our first day so; of course, we went for a huge brunch before braving the stores.

Armani Exchange has a buff DJ playing seriously cool tunes so at one point I was right in the mood to sink a few vodka & tonics and have a bit of a dance, but realised it was early afternoon and I was in the queue for the changing rooms. Still, my purchases were many and splendid. Abercrombie & Fitch do the loud music thing too but their music wasn’t as good, the store is quite dark and the people who work there are busier admiring how good they look in the A&F clothes that are always sold out, than they are in helping anyone in-store. I had a laborious (and fruitless) conversation with a vapid, glacial minion who spoke “like, er, kinda dumb?!” I wasn’t entirely sure we were communicating in the same language and the look she gave me for being obviously and comfortably over the age of 17 said it all. She did, however, have time and energy to wave me vaguely in the direction of the back of the store to point out that I may find what I was looking for elsewhere (anywhere but near her). I fought my way thru the pack of gawking groupies waiting to have their photo taken with a muscle-bound hunk wearing only jeans and an open coat - poor bloke must have been pretty chilly! Then again the air around the frosty madam in men swear wasn’t that toasty either.

One ray of sunshine in the A&F store was that a friendly and seemingly ever perky lady told me I wouldn’t need to buy a medium T shirt as it would be “way too big” and “what was I thinking?!” I nearly hugged her.

We had dinner with our New York friends on a couple of nights, once in Harlem, a new experience for me, and another night uptown. The other evenings in New York were spent out on the razz sampling restaurants and bars. It was a hoot. I was interviewed for a gay TV channel by a drag queen that liked my aftershave, and spookily to continue the drag theme, I had Sunday brunch at a drag show restaurant in Greenwich. It was very entertaining. I’m amazed how some men can squeeze into a glittering garment without firing sequins off with every tightly clad movement.
The other half is absolutely terrified of drag queens, much in the same way that some people find clowns a bit sinister but was way, way, WAY too hung over to leave the hotel anyway. I, on the hand have no such problems, so having a fake bosom in my face whilst having my drink poured didn’t upset me at all. It caused much hilarity and photo snapping from my NYC chums tho.

P.S. The picture is most definitely NOT me!

It’s up to you….

New York, Nooooooooo Yoooooorrrrkk!

I depart on Thursday for a weekend of pre-festive shopping and extreme indulgence. I can’t wait.

Hong Kong was, as always, kinda cool. Also, as always, I left Hong Kong with a little parting gift – a cold. I don’t know why but I always get a cold in Hong Kong. I thought it could be the air conditioning but I never get it anywhere else I travel to. Still, no matter as I have just been to visit the smoothie man at Gatwick who made me a ‘flu fighter’ smoothie, packed with lots of vitamins and bug busting goodies.
It was quite tastey too, until I’d finished and then had a bit of a funny aftertaste, but hey, medicine always tastes bad in some way doesn’t it…

I made sure I sampled some Hong King cuisine and dined on great food during my 2 night stay. It wasn’t even a whistle-stop visit this time – I didn’t even have the opportunity to get my whistle out and blow, let alone stop!

Let’s talk about New York…
I’m flying out on Thanksgiving and arriving in the evening. Apparently the day after Thanksgiving is a mammoth shopping day. How splendid. I shall have my cards charged up and my signature signing speed at max so I’m able to blitz the shops before retiring in a huge heap of quality shopping bags stuffed choc full of fabulous things. All for me!
Actually, I do have to do a spot of Christmas present buying whilst I’m in the US but I know what I need and where to get it so it’ll take me no time at all!

Right. I’m away with my sniffles now to seek solace in a lemon drink. It’s all about glamour with me – it really is.

Chinese food

I haven’t eaten any Chinese food today – or for quite a while, for that matter. However, I shall be chowing down on lots of it next week as I’m off to Hong Kong on business.

I really like Hong Kong – it’s bustling & lively and has that buzz that only a few cities seem to possess. It’s visually stunning and each time I go, I stand and look at the skyline from the harbour-side just dumbstruck that this fantastic view is entirely manmade. That’s what hits me every time as being so unusual. Not many manmade sites on such a grand scale can be considered beautiful or spectacular. Hong Kong manages to get away with it. Don’t ask me how, as it’s all glass, noise, light – I don’t even want to think what kind of electricity gets used up or how much pollution is being belched into the environment as a result..

Back to Chinese food briefly. I’m looking forward to lots of duck – I think that’s my fave, that and dim sum.

After my whistle-stop visit to Hong Kong for 2 nights, it’s back on the plane for 12 hours to London. Hopefully there’ll be some good films on the plane so I can fill up all that time.
My travels don’t end there, as the next week I’m boarding a long-haul flight again to visit New York – for fun. I hate to imagine what my carbon footprint is like…
I do work for an airline tho so travel is kind of unavoidable. Perhaps I can pay for some trees to be planted to offset my carbon footprint. I’m a bit worried that I’ve travelled so much on business this year and had some long haul holidays, that I don’t actually have a carbon footprint but a carbon off-road 4x4 dirt trail.

Sigh. I love trees – I need to look into tree projects to pay for my travel crimes….

M&S Mini Jaffa Cakes

I’ve just had a whole bag of them. I shared with my colleagues of course, but the majority ended up being shovelled into the huge pie-hole located at the front of my head.

Yum.

Well, it’s nearly the weekend. We have a friend coming to stay, which means I’ll spend most of it out and about, probably in a semi-drunken state and seeking something more to eat.

Not entirely sure about the specific plans as yet but I know that this evening is going to be a ‘civilised’ dinner somewhere pleasant. Now, we all know that this means we’ll have an enjoyable, civilised dinner somewhere, drink a cellar’s worth of wine and decide to lurch off to a West-End club to drink far too much before tumbling into a cab at the crack of sparrows, then crawl into bed well after day-break. This whole kind of evening is what’s planned for tomorrow tho, so we’ll be dreadfully over-hung but will force ourselves out into town to do it all over again. Typically, Sunday will be spent promising anyone who will listen that we won’t be drinking again and that our healthy lifestyles are due to start first thing Monday morning. Which of course, they won’t.

I can’t wait! I do love a major weekender!

I also need to fit a spot of retail therapy in too. I need a winter coat and some new things to wear. Well, I say need. That’s not strictly true. I’d like.

The weather has suddenly, and sharply, turned chilly. Frost everywhere this morning and visible breath. I wasn’t expecting it. By the time I got to the tube station today my ears hurt. Anyone in Canada, Scandinavia or Siberia who may be reading this could probably sneer with good reason at such blousey reactions but hey! I’m British. It’s what we do. We discuss weather. Constantly.

Next entry it’s really all back to cake. Or at least I’ll try! Honest.

Food Bravery

Today I’ve been quite brave. I’ll explain in a little while and anyone who reads it might think “so what?”
My adventure in food, admittedly, has been low level but I have learned something. Which is always good.

I’m not really a cheese fan.
Wow! Another savoury food blog, but fear not cake fans, after this I’m definitely returning to sugar-laden stuff. It’ll make me happy and keep my dentist busy.

I digress (what’s new).

I’m not really a cheese fan. I only really like ‘plastic’, processed cheese that comes in flat squares or foil wrapped triangles. “Philistine” yell the food connoisseurs of the world. Blah blah blah say I. Anyway. As previously mentioned, I’m having a bit of a soup-fest at the mo so I wandered down to the little food place in my building to buy some lunch. The soup of the day is broccoli and stilton. Cheese-feelings taken into account I grimaced then, on the verge of declining, I was struck with a devil-may-care attitude and promptly ordered a small serving – don’t want to get too giddy.

I’ve finished the soup now. I’m feeling a bit cheated. At first it was ok but then the serious chessiness began to kick in. It’s the whole blue cheese thing for me. It’s mould! Why would anyone want to eat mould? Then again, mushrooms are fungi and they’re great. I’m sitting now with a mouldy taste in my mouth and a feeling of missed lunchtime opportunities. That’s the last time I throw caution to the wind and delve into the world of cheese.

I need a huge slab of chocolate now to lift my mood and rejuvenate my taste buds. I’m taking a sprightly short walk to the snacks machine immediately.