8.11.08

Raindrops keep fallin' on my head... in London

Portobello Market

Last Saturday, lovely British weather was at its best: rainy, windy, and cold. Just perfect. We had plans to go to Portobello Market, have a walk around Notting Hill, and meet some good friends. And so we did, checking British antiquities, all sort of posh 'junk', stylish clothes, and rain. Lots of rain. Cursing under my breath, I've bought some spices at the Spice Shop, and decided Books for Cooks was a nice place to reheat, drooling over beautiful cookbooks whilst waiting for my friends. What a joy to meet them all!

George Orwell's house

Now a group of 7, we left to walk around a bit more. We made it to Le Maroc, for tahini and pomegranate molasses, and finally gave up to freezing weather. A large wooden table in the next deli right after the Moroccan market offered the perfect spot for our meal. The cold, grey day was very much changed by Valentina's laugh, our endless chitchat, and comfort food: celery and carrot soup, marguerita toasts, lots of tea, and memories to keep.

Leaving the deli, we walked back to Notting Hill Gate, passing by Ottolenghi's beautiful stand. I kept thinking of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid", the old movie. One of the romantic and heart-warming scenes in the film is when "Butch" (Paul 'gorgeous' Newman) takes "Etta" (Katherine Ross) on a bicycle ride under a blue sky, with no hint of rain. The music seems both unfitting and absolutely right, at the same time. Raindrops keep fallin' on my head playing in my mind with real drops on my face but what a day - happiness, joy, and friendship. Who cares about the rain?

Lunch with friends

3 comments:

Clumbsy Cookie said...

O que??? Choveu em Londres??? Estranho, lol! Olha para a próxima também quero ir, com ou sem chuva!!!

Anonymous said...

Your photos look great Suzana! They make me miss London though hehe

Andrea said...

Oh thanks, now that song is stuck in my head! I love your posts about London, you're really making me want to visit. I haven't been in years! And those muffins look lovely.