The first time Bearded Husband and I spent Valentine’s Day together, we’d actually been together for seven years. Different schools (we were fifteen when started ‘going out’, not that we went anywhere then) followed by different universities meant we weren’t in the same place on Valentine’s Day until then. And when we finally were, go out we did. To a swish-ish fish restaurant on the Brompton Road. It was awful; tables squashed together in a room heavy with an atmosphere of forced romance, food rushed onto the table to get another sitting in. As we sat across from each other, starters on the table, I knew he was thinking what I was thinking. We made our excuses, paid and left, stopping for a bottle of pink fizz and chocolates on our way home. It was the first and last time we went out on Valentine’s Day. Until now, that is. Tomorrow night, we’re going for a curry. Hoping we don’t leave in such a hurry.
UPDATE: WE WENT TO A GASTROPUB, PEOPLE!
Current white in the fridge: Tesco Finest Tapiwey Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2011, £6 on offer, Tesco
Drinking Sauvignon Blanc when it is cold outside doesn’t feel quite right. But it is not quite as dark in the mornings anymore so maybe I am coming out of aromatic white wine hibernation. Anyway, this one is a brilliant example of bright, gooseberry fruit-ish Sauvignon Blanc from Chile, and it has a bit more liveliness to it that some of the really cheap stuff being churned out by New Zealand at the moment. Sipping this, I can almost believe there are longer, brighter days around the corner.
Current red on the side: Terra d’Alter Red 2009, £8.99, Solent Cellar and Terra D’Alter
This Portuguese wine was the stand-out red at a wine tasting with a bunch of parents from my middle boy’s nursery last week. Made from grapes normally used to make Port (including Aragonez, Alicante Bouschet, Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira), here grown in the southern Alentejo region and crafted by Australian born Peter Bright. He has lived in Portugal for years but as one of the world’s original flying winemakers, the style and polish of this wine are tellingly New World. Really gorgeous wine, made to go with food, especially sausages and mash.
RIP Whitney x
We're having an M&S dinner for two, whilst the three kids eat fish fingers and chips in front of TV. So bloody unromantic in our house. LOL x
Ha! But M&S…that's quite spesh, non? Here's a virtual rose, my love x
Discovered this the year I worked through the night on Valentines – the restaurant were so pleased we cancelled the table (and stopped them being over-booked) we got free wine – staying in is the best thing!
Good plan! Rather looking forward to my curry though, has to be said.
Hope it was good! The M&S night in sounds SO popular. I went to a supper club (darlings!) and it was delicious. Only 10 people in this beautiful flat in Brixton. Almost as good as staying at home, just someone else's home!
Stonemasons in Hammersmith, an old haunt! Lovely, really lovely, such a treat. Yours sounded fab too.
Mrs Uncle Bunny made triple-cooked chips Heston-style and I did the steak. Gu puds and raspberries followed.
Laurent-Perrier rose followed by a glass of KWV The Mentors Shiraz 2008.
Heaven!
You two are sybarites through and through x
Oh! The Stonemasons… That's where we decided to buy our (last) house (many moons ago). Missing it now.
The last time we went out for dinner on Valentines night, it was the funny Moroccan (ish) place at the top of the Fulham Palace Road (I wouldn't have gone into that much detail if you hadn't let slip you're local). Highly recommended (not least because you don't have to book if you suddenly find yourself with a babysitter, as we did). Oh, and Bob Geldof was there once too (although not that night).
This year, on the other hand, I was home alone, with a pint of ginger and lemongrass squash. Hey ho.
Aaahhh, very fond memories of that part of town. And the Moroccan sounds lovely..seems like a lifetime ago.