Darrell Does Mexican

Hugh suggested that if Darrell fancied a Mexican while he was out and about in London, his best bet would be the Margarita Loca in Battersea.

Hugh apologised profusely because he wouldn’t be able to take Darrell there himself, as he had been booked for the rest of the week to be on the panel to find the next new Loose Woman, something he just couldn’t get out of ……. darling!!!!!!

To be honest Hugh’s absence didn’t really daunt Darrell, although it could be quite advantageous to have a celebrity friend who could “open doors”, Darrell also found it refreshing to go out and about in London without Hugh and his enormous entourage!!!

Darrell liked Margarita Loca immediately, there were hats on the table, that broke the ice, the decor was eclectically Mexican and the music was traditional and vibrant ……

……. and so, in a chilled mood of a Mexican type nature, Darrell decided to live a little and order a cocktail ……..

……. which went down very easily ……. and relaxed Darrell even further, leading him to order another one, because he reasoned, it would be rude not too ……

However, when he was half way through this said second cocktail Darrell thought it best  to order some food …… as he was two bus rides, six stops on the tube and a short walk away from Hugh’s flat, and he was beginning to feel a little erm ….. woozy and not a little little devil may care ……

So, when the waitress came over to take his order, he pointed to something on the menu that he couldn’t pronounce without spitting and hoped for the best …….

…. and when, whatever it was arrived, it was very acceptable, in fact it beat Darrell’s almost unfillable stomach AND took the edge off his wooziness, thank goodness, ……….. and the two bus rides, six stops on the  tube and the short walk back to Hugh’s flat were successfully negotiated!!!!!!! What is he like????

Darrell ….. London Lounge Lizard …..

While Darrell is away partaking in the pleasure of London …… 

........ he is determined not to miss a single opportunity to London Lounge ……

….. or to partake in every day London life as opposed to just being seen as a tourist!

So yesterday, while Hugh was out researching new locations for Emmerdale, and advising “Strictly” on sourcing sequins for the next series, Darrell took himself off to Hammersmith to chill in The Hammersmith Ram, which Hugh had recommended for it’s romantic open fires and casual ambiance.

…….. and while he was enjoying a small Vimto on the rocks, embracing his surroundings and contemplating the possible purchase of a packet of smoky bacon crisps,  he was approached by one of the staff, asking if he would like to contribute a sentence or two to The Rams customer story book! Well this put Darrell in an absolute state of flux, as he was obviously looking very local and could even possibly pass for a real life Londoner, his London lounging honed to perfection!

Naturally, Darrell said “Mais qui” in his best Cockney accent …. and pondered seriously about what to add to the “story” so far ….. as it had been written in a very random, and seemingly unconnected way  ……

….. before simply putting “When a man (or monkey) is tired of London, he is tired of life” ……..  to add to the aforesaid randomness …. but also expressing his true feelings…….

…… and then glowed with the idea that he had just become part of the Rams legacy! What is he like????

Darrell’s Adventures In London

Darrell phoned last night, a little embarrassed ………..…

….. to admit me that despite his inane intimate innate Wolverhampton prowess for finding his way around in London  ….. he had got lost on his travels, and had somehow missed Kensington High Street completely, (where he had hoped to make a few considered purchases), and had ended up at Shepherds Bush instead!!! What is he like?

Darrell, Out And About In Notting Hill

During the day, Darrell is left pretty much to his own devices in London, because of Hugh’s packed diary of photo shoots, rehearsals and interviews etc. ….. for example, over a working breakfast that morning Hugh’s agent had called to say that both Woman’s Hour and Good Housekeeping were champing at the bit,  wanting him to pop in for his considered opinion on the growing trend for wearing paste jewellery at “glittering” royal and society events!

But in Hugh’s absence Darrell is always happy to wander, and visit places of Hugh’s esteemed recommendation ……

….. and as Portobello Road is just a mere amble from Hugh’s pied de terre, it is always a no brainer for Darrell to visit, as it is a place he could never tire of, as there is always something new to see ….. and especially after Hugh had introduced him to gentlemen’s headpieces the night before….. Darrell was naturally curious to see if they had infiltrated the “market scene” yet and should/ought to revise his stance on them!!!!

And then, Darrell also very much enjoys moseying down the hidden side streets and mews along the road  …… picking out the sort of mews type house …….

…… that, in his dreams, would make a possible “London Chateau Castle Greysquirrel”, if we ever won “stupid” money on the lottery (and if we actually did the lottery!), because in the parts of London Darrell very much admired, we would need stupid money to purchase said potential London Chateau Castle Greysquirrel!

Darrell had been most keen to nip into Jamie Oliver’s Recipease at Hugh’s  recommended to try  the oven-roasted lamb wrap,  (a soft tortilla wrap stuffed with shredded slow-cooked lamb, homemade houmous, chilli, garlic mushrooms, toasted pine nuts, pomegranate seeds and fresh mint, all in a creamy mint and yoghurt dressing) which ticked all of Darrell’s gastronomic boxes, but unfortunately the cafe was rather busy and as Darrell’s stomach was by this time rumbling very indiscreetly he decided to leave Jamie’s delights for another day and take himself to a very acceptable Turkish restaurant instead……

….. where he partook in a very acceptable minced lamb pide and an extra large latte.

…… and reflected on all the wonderful things he had seen and wondered what Hugh would be partaking in at the Woman’s Hour canteen with Jane Garvey and Jenni Murray, and what tales and gossip he and Hugh would exchange later on that evening! London was such bliss!

A Step Too En Trend For Darrell?

Darrell informs me that he and Hugh have been talking “de rigueur” long into the night …… every night during his visit  ……

….. however he had to admit that last night Hugh introduced him to a new trend ……..

……. that even Darrell, despite his robustly overwhelming urge to be seen as on trend, admitted to being a little sceptical of …….

 

……. to wit, the emerging potentially iconoclastic  phenomena of ….. gentlemen’s headpieces,  which Hugh had excitedly assured him were about to take the club scene by storm, that would then infiltrate into more general wear

Darrell, was for once, totally unconvinced, but rather than look rude and ungrateful of Hugh’s much sought after and inestimable fashion knowledge, Darrell agreed to, at least, give it a whirl …. and see how a said gentleman’s headpiece would  look and feel …..

…… and so, with Hugh primping and fussing and cooooing over him, and telling him how it was “Soooooo, soooooo you Darling!” and “Sooooooo accentuates your finer features” and how, “…. with a top of more flamboyant type nature and ditching the badge  ….. it would be …..just too, too, too, toooooooooooooo for words Darling!”

Darrell, however remained resolutely but most politely dubious …….  in London, where practically anything goes … then yes, ….. but in our small village, with its Tesco Express and only just getting a new tea shop, perhaps it wasn’t the right time! 

“Ahhhh c’est such a dommage, mon ami Darrell, the look sooooooo suited you,  but I understand ….

……. London styles sometimes do not translate so well in the North …… perhaps I can find you a trend of a little more parochial type nature to take home with you….. you just leave it to moi!”  Oh good grief …..!!!!

London Lounging Confectionary Review - Cadbury Dairy Milk Ritz and Cadbury Dairy Milk Lu

Today, we are going to do something we have never attempted before on our blog ………  a confectionary review from London, conducted by none other than Darrell and the most discerning palate in Notting Hill, Hugh …..

Darrell had spotted the new Dairy Milk Ritz and Lu bars in our village Tesco Express just before he went down to London and at just 50p each it would have been rude not to try them ….. and with his visit to Hugh imminent, it was a no brainer!

To all of us, Ritz Crackers and Dairy Milk seemed a bizarre combination and Lu biscuits????? Well, we’ve never heard of them, so a considered review was always going to be interesting!

The Boys scrutinised the Dairy Milk Lu robustly first, which they both agreed had a very ample sufficiency of chocolate, but was it a chocolate bar or biscuit?  Was it something you would you proffer to your friends when you’d invited them round for morning coffee or was it a treat that you might hid under the cushions on a Saturday night to later indulge in while watching X Factor?

These were the questions that Darrell and Hugh found themselves compelled to answer ……. and in the end both decided that given the choice when entertaining friends mid morning, without a doubt the Lu would stay firmly in the cupboard, while the chocolate Hobs Nobs and Orange Clubs and the odd custard cream would be put on the best china and offered for the dunking thereof! And as for a evening indulgence ….. again, a definite no no ….. Fruit and Nut yes, Maltesers yes, Lu no!

And then onto the Ritz Dairy Milk ….. Darrell and Hugh both agreed that this really was a novelty bar, something of a salty curiosity, tried once , and then, they were afraid,  most probably consigned to Poundland to be sold in bags of four in a few months time (a bit like the mini cornettos we reviewed last year).  However, in their defence, once you’d got over the initial salty sensation, holding a dry square betwixt your forefinger and thumb was a perfect anchor for dunking, followed by the licking and sucking the resultant melted chocolate!Again, Darrell and Hugh robustly debated (though never in a heated manner) as to where or when you would eat such a bar …..

………and in the end decided that they simply just wouldn’t! The saltiness was by no means unpleasant, the chocolate once again abundant, but unfortunately the whole combination was it was too complicated, and hard to get their heads round. 

So sadly, on our London scale of de riguer noms both the Lu and Ritz Dairy Milk just about topped the 3 out of 10 mark, and that was just for the chocolate and to be kind.

Bedside Satsumas

In London, as Darrell soon discovered on waking on the first morning of his visit …… satsuma's are les fruits de la chambre à coucher ……

…… and of which Hugh, as a most gracious host, had, naturally, left an abundance beside Darrell’s bed to greet him as he welcomed in a new day!

“Ohhhhhh,  to be greeted by oranges at the side of ones bed upon waking …… is just toooooooo romantic” sighed Darrell on seeing them ……

…… and to be seen not to consume an ample sufficiency of said fruits de chambre whilst still in bed would not only look most rude, but also very unworldly of London ways …..

……. and for Darrell that would be totally unthinkable!!!!

Darrell, Back London Lounging At Last

Yesterday, I waved off Darrell, as, at last, all the days on his countdown to “London Lounging” calendar had been crossed off and he was finally London bound to stay with his best friend and mentor Hugh, who lives the showbiz life in Notting Hill.

Darrell said that as soon as he got off the Wolverhampton to Euston train London’s distinct and unique aroma hit him …. a sensation not akin to taking your first breath of sea air, he said, what is he like?

With a fully charged Oyster Card Darrell then proceeded by underground to Hugh’s pied de terre ….

…… via Latimer Road, where he had to admit, his heart started to race …. he was minutes away from Hugh’s ….. and London Lounging.

Hugh, although on a “shoot” all, day, had still managed to conjure up a bijoux supperette using leftovers from the “shoot wagon”, salmon with a herby crust , asparagus, tiny Marie Claire potatoes, sweated spinach and Chantilly carrots, all in a rich, creamy sauce ….. telling Darrell that leftovers was the buzz word throughout London society, as far as home cuisine was concerned, it was sooooo de rigeuur to be frugal, and make a meal out of nothing!!

Then they talked on, late into the night, about anything and everything ….

with Darrell showing Hugh his beloved tiger onsie, hoping for Hugh’s seal of en trend approval ……

…. which naturally, he got , “Animal prints, they never, ever, ever, ever go out, Darrell” Hugh told him “ ….. they are a staple of any London wardrobe, and for lounging? Ohhhh mon dieu, c’est ca!!!!” Which made Darrell glow with pride!

It was 4 o’clock before they finally got to bed ….. despite Hugh’s car calling for him at 5.30 for an early  morning call ……

……. and Darrell snuggled down between satin sheets, London felt never felt soooooo wonderful!