Falling Cloudberries: Yes, I do believe in magic!

I really feel of going back to my trip in London and write about one of the most valuable things I bought over there. While stroling inside Waterstone's I was looking for a good recipe book. Although I shouldn't judge from the cover, this time I think I did the right thing.

Falling Cloudberries by Tessa Kiros is more than a recipe book. It is a journal (a blog if you have already forgotten the word 'journal') of how different coultures can be so harmonically fitted within a book full of smells, images...small miracles in general.

The book contains basic recipes from Finland, Greece, Cyprus, South Africa & Italy, places that the author has origins in. Everything, even the simplest thing, is presented as a small masterpiece.

Since I am Greek, I could judge for the originality and the ingeniuty of the Greek & Cyprian (both family countries) recipes. I can assure you thatthey are presented as close to the tradition as possible.

Falling Cloudberries is a book that you will place it on shelf but you will go back to over and over again.

Coming back from our London Holidays

Well, it's been always a pleasure visiting the British capital. My connection with London starts many many years ago when I was visiting friends and family (who used to live there) whenever I could. I knew this place had to be explored thoroughly and when it came for my masters degree I easily picked London (LSE specifically) to obtain it. I was living there for a year and had the chance to see many beautiful hidden and crowded places. Ever since then I tend to visit London at least once a year to get all the updates I need in shopping (music & clothing mainly), food & drinks and hidden spots.

This time I had the privillege to be invited (with my girlfriend X) by my friend Petrosn at his house (no need for hotels, thank you Petro!). We took some days off work and travelled there on the fifth of January (Thu). Stayed there for five days and came back on the tenth (Tue).

Here are the highlights from our trip, presented in photos (first comes the tag, then the photo):

1) The graveyard of the 1800s we need to cross in order to get to the tube (brrr!!!!)
2)The little squirrels passing by
3)The colourfoul Neal's Ward (off Covent Garden Station head at Neal's Street) and generally all shops found around Covent Garden
4)Leicester Square and specifically the Ben & Jerry's shop (can't have them in Greece :( anyway!)
5)Illuminated Regents Street
6)Tophsop, not for me but for X that spent more than 4 hours in total over there (thank God I was enjoying my coffee at the instore cafe)
7)The Tapas Bar that Petros (my friend who invited us, shown on the photo) and the huge (unfinished) sea food paella
8)Harrods and specifically its food hall
9)The tiny St Christophers Place, the Italian style shops, and the Lebanese restaurant 'Sofra' (bigger quantities pleeaaaseee)
10)The 7 Dials place (where 7 streets meet in one place, between Leicester Sq and Covent Garden) and the beautiful Portuguese cafe 'Canela' with each delicious sweets (try the Chocolate and Banana & Cinnamon cakes)
11)Ice Skating in the Sommerset House (Aldwych, close to Holborn tube station)
12)Visiting, and not sadly not shopping in, the Apple Store
13)Shopping and walking on the Carnaby Street (down Regent Street, turn left after Liberty's store)
14)Chinese restauran Busaba (Soho) and it's delicious prawn-coconut noodles and jasmine-passion fruit-many other stuff juice.
15)Mamma Mia, the theatrical play in Picadilly Circus. Must see for Londoners and people visiting. It worths its high ticket price (yes, €60 for a theatrical is too expensive!!!)
16)Meeting my friends Dave + Alan

I had a big blast on those five days and already think of schedulling a trip to London during the summer.

Sadly the story is over as is 'London' by Alanis Morissette in my earphones...(too dramatic ending I know!)