Making cocktails, tasting cocktails!

The highlight of the last week was a Cocktail History Masterclass at The Lonsdale. Jim Wrigley gave an amazingly informative talk from behind the bar at the rather fabulous Lonsdale in Notting Hill. They've just been refurbished and are on a mission to get us all to go and hang out there and I was invited to a special press event, but snuck in somehow! We had a great evening and Jim's history lesson went way back to the 1500s. His talk was interspersed with cocktail making from the period he was telling us about, , when he took one person out of the crowd to work on some cocktails for tasting - you'll not be surprised to hear that I had a go and we mixed and stirred a tasty brew! Some of the cocktails were a bit potent but after several tastings, I confirmed that my usual tipple was indeed my favourite and I will stick to the trusty cosmopolitan. The venue was a bit dark and I didn't want to use the flash too much so here are a few slightly grainy photos to give you an idea of the bar and the mixing fun.

The Affordable Art Fair was my last visit of October's burst of wonderful art shows in London which hit town every autumn. Their view of affordable is under £3,000 and there was a surprising stall selling some very big names, just under the limit including Damian Hirst and you'll see the others on the photo. It was set in a starry night ceiling designed big tent in the middle of Battersea Park and as we went on the preview night there was a glass or two of free wine to help the purchasing. We particularly enjoyed some lovely Cornish paintings and some beautiful glass and chatted to a few friends on stalls or wandering around. Sad to know the main art season is over....

A new restaurant opened just round the corner from me on Westbourne Grove (Notting Hill again!) so we dropped in to test out Cote and really like it, as do many others judging from the full tables. It's an all day French brasserie serving mid range priced good food and I can recommend the fillet steak with thin chips! We've had a bit of rain lately so here's the good looking exterior on a wet evening but it still looks good.

Bye for now,

Sue

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