… a post card from Lyon, Marilyn Munro, The Odyssey,
Thameside walks and luxury cream teas
**********************************************************************
I was reliably informed by Google that Lyon is labelled as being the culinary city of France, so I set off in early September with high expectations.
We departed at 5pm and after an eight-hour saga, arrived at 1am the next morning. We did, however, get an unexpected surprise, around 11:45pm we flew directly over Paris and saw the Tour Eiffel – but by the time I had fumbled under the seat for my mobile, the twinkling tower had vanished beneath the wing ☹
Lyon was in complete darkness when we landed and there was nowhere open to eat supper so we went to bed with hunger pains. The morning revelation made it all worthwhile – we opened the curtains to clear blue skies and a magnificent view of ……… the train station!
Despite overlooking the station (which wasn’t too bad really) the hotel, a 1906 Art Nouveau historic monument, was beautiful and perfectly positioned in the centre of Lyon between the Rhône and the Saône Rivers.
Breakfast in the oak panelled dining room more than compensated for the bedroom view. To name but a few of the delights on offer:- the most delicious freshly made bread, croissants and pastries. An array of granola, muesli, seeds and fruits and sprinkles to go on top, yoghurts, pancakes, crepes, charcuterie and cheese. Then there was the hot food, but I won’t go on. One slight disappointment was that the coffee was out of a machine, but I understand the convenience for the hotel.
We were told the best way to tour the city is on foot – and we did, 44 miles over 6 days!
One of the highlights for me was taking the Funicular railway to the hilltop at Fourviere. We visited the emblematic monument (Notre Dame de Fourviere) and soaked up the panoramic views of the entire city. We also visited the Fine Arts Museum and the modern Confluences Museum of Science and Anthropology.
The Beaujolais/Burgundy Wines we tasted were all outstanding and to bring a few bottles home was the main purpose of the trip! Harvesting was complete, it was 6 weeks early due to the months of blazing sunshine. A fleeting visit to Beaujeu (where we had a delicious lunch in Chez Anna, a family run eatery) then on to surrounding vineyards including Chateau de La Chaize and finishing off at the ancient village of Perouges.
Something that was very noticeable was the amount of young people in the City, especially in the bars around Happy Hour! I later learnt there are four universities and three other large educational institutions in Lyon, around 175,000 students in total! It was completely impossible to get anywhere near a restaurant/bar in the early evening. So do bear that in mind if you are planning a visit.
AND FINALLY …. to the food!
Although France holds the highest number of 3-star Michelin rated restaurants, do we really believe it is still number one in the gastronomic rankings? Sorry to say I fear that France has slipped down the ladder and from personal experience and recent travels, the food in Spain, Italy, Portugal and Greece are faring better. I imagine that France, like the UK is struggling with rising operating costs and labour problems and that the traditional family-run kitchens are being bought out by large commercial hospitality groups resulting in inattentive staff who are assembling the dishes rather than cooking them with care – I’m talking about the “bouchon”, the traditional eateries that serve hearty local dishes like pike quenelles and local blood rich sausages. We had two or three rather disappointing experiences.
On a positive note, we did find a couple of establishments that were fantastic and enjoyed two delicious, unforgettable and inspiring dishes which are pictured below.
The first, from a high-end restaurant, Epona in the Grand Hotel Dieu – a thick slice of beef tomato, compressed with herbs and oil, served chilled with a tomato gel and a savoury seed granola, topped with a prawn quenelle. The other, an onion tart!
The shallot tarte tartan was from the Bistrot Nectar, 69002 Lyon. An unassuming spot you could easily pass by. A few tables and chairs scattered across the pavement. We were late for the lunch session and were hungry, everywhere else was closing but they welcomed us warmly. The menu was handwritten on a blackboard – always a good sign that it changes regularly. The very enthusiastic owner talked us through the menu – his English was excellent – he told us that his patè had received a special award and that his tart tartan was the best he’d ever had! Well, he was right, it was divine. I have now created my own interpretation which is already on the menu at Second-Helpings – it’s perfect as a starter or a main with a salad (mine is the one pictured below with crème fraiche & chives on top)
Marilyn Munro: A portrait
Celebrating the life and work of one of the 20th Century’s most famous women who would have been celebrating her 100th birthday this year.
Unfortunately, the exhibition closed in early September so, for those who couldn’t visit, attached are just a few of the previously unseen photographs from the collection.
Quote from Rosie Broadley, Joint head Curator ….
It has been a privilege to spend time curating an exhibition about a woman who both defined and challenged the era in which she lived. In addition to her iconic beauty, Marilyn Monroe had inimitable attitude, intelligence, strength and humanity and it is o surprise that she held such fascination for artists working during her lifetime and in the decades since.
Hosting a 16th Birthday Party
Having nearly always catered for the over 30+ age group, it was such a privilege to be asked by my granddaughter to host her 16th birthday.
Ten young ladies sat down to a formal three-course dinner of mixed bruschetta, Paul Ainsworth’s Chicken Strozzapreti and a classic chocolate Birthday cake with candles. After exploring the garden, they danced the night away to Abba, Queen and Dexy’s Midnight Runners!!
A nice change for me ……
A well-deserved shout out to Everyman, Oxted
Having recently sat through the epic 2 hours and 53 minutes of The Odyssey – it bought back memories of my history teacher, Mrs Tunny who although loud and terrifying, was a great teacher because I remembered all the perils Odysseus and his men had to deal with.
If you haven’t visited the Cinema in Oxted then I would strongly urge you to do so. There are three screens; each one is intimate with luxuriously comfortable seats (and cushions) with handy side tables on which to put your refreshments. Staff take your orders and deliver drinks & nibbles to your seat before the film starts.
The staff are very welcoming and introduce the films, regardless of how many there are in the audience (in our case only 6 people) and also tell you films and special events which are coming up soon. AND, best of all, there are concessions for the more mature of us!
Everyman is more than just a cinema. It has a curated event programme, including live Q&As, film festival screenings, big-screen music experiences, previews, pop-ups, screening parties, live broadcast theatre, opera and ballet.
With winter fast approaching it’s a great way to spend a dreary weekday afternoon/evening and then enjoy something to eat or drink in Oxted before catching the train home.
Andrea Di Filippo – Your London Guide
A new and very enjoyable past time for me and primary school friend, Jos.
If you follow this young entrepreneur on Instagram, along with the 432,000 other followers, you will discover London’s prettiest spots, best restaurants & hotels, most picturesque walks and the best daytrips
We got a train to Victoria, then hopped on a bus to Putney. We walked to Fulham Palace, discovered the walled garden, along the Thames Path, passed the football stadium & Harrods Depository. On the way we popped into the River Café and quickly popped out again – eye-watering prices – eventually settled for lunch in Sams Riverside which was fabulous. After lunch we crossed Hammersmith Bridge and made our way home along the Thames, passing all the famous boathouses.
A very pleasant and relaxing way to spend the day. We plan to do more – next one Richmond!
Book your Autumn / Winter Celebrations now
A 3-course meal including canapés & teas/coffee from £35.00 per person
If you want to celebrate a get-together without the noise, the hustle and bustle, the waiting, the boisterous crowds, the service charge and other add-ons — please do consider Second-Helpings. If you are coming from further afield, we are only 7 minutes walk from the main line railway station.
You’ll experience delicious, well-presented food (menus discussed and planned beforehand) at fair prices. You bring your own wines which we will keep chilled (we charge corkage at £5 per opened bottle), and you’ll receive excellent personal service. There are spaces for lunches, teas and evening meals in November and December — so do get in touch soon!
Dates for your Diaries
Saturday 14th November – St Peter and St Paul’s Church Lingfield Christmas Event
Friday 27th November – Charters’ Village Christmas Event
