Sips in the City: Part II

Putting the iced prosecco behind us, we made our way through Soho, our spirits gradually revived by Edith and Lou’s banter and earnest enthusiasm for our mad quest. Was there a decent Bellini in Londinium? Did we always have to pay top dollar, or in this case pound, for the sake of a few salacious bubbles and a brief whiff of summer? Would the barman at the Connaught be fired? Time and a few more drinks would only tell.

Sips in the City: Part 1

Mary Harris "Mother" Jones (August 1, 1837 – November 30, 1930), born in Cork, Ireland

Last week was such a whirl of activity, starting on Monday- yes, another Monday out, Monday is now our new Friday- with a late night Bellini tour, and ending on Friday with the very romantic and intimate wedding at the ICA, of my friend Mel and her husband Rupert. This week feels ever so slow by comparison. The kids are off school, Christmas is still 2 days away, and it is still very cold outside.

Bellini in Dress

                                  Paris Fall 09: Comme des Garçons

There is a new restaurant/small hotel on Dean St. in Soho, which stands out like a pearl in pot of black beans. Shiny, white and looking slightly out of place among all the other busy, full-windowed restaurants and neon-flashing pubs, the façade of the Dean St. Townhouse looks more like a prim, 19^th century girls’ school in a much smaller town, where carriages full of long-skirted girls might suddenly appear.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Lulu dropped these off the other day…. Heloise, take note! Now Luke can mix his own Bellinis at home over the holidays. Available at Speck Delicatessen in Holland Park here in London, or selected liquor stores in the USA.

First Sip, First Love

My girlfriend Heloise back home in Princeton, N.J., is one of my best readers…she reads my blog and sends lovely, enthusiastic messages which inspire, and make me wish she were here to partake in the grand, Bellini search. She makes art and writes, and lives with her art historian husband Gill, and their younger son Luke- the older son is travelling the world.

When Heloise last visited London, I told her about my quest, and she responded with the following, which she has very kindly allowed me to share, a sort of Bellini coming-of-age story, involving her handsome Luke. Heloise writes:

Tiger Woe

I realize this has nothing to do with Bellini’s, but Lulu, Sinclair and I were having coffee this morning, and The Sun had this on the cover. I couldn’t resist sharing it with all my friends across the pond. The English have such a way with words.

Gish on Ice

                                       Lillian Gish

In my experience, Monday night parties are a rare occurrence, but when they do happen, you just think, “Wow, what a way to start the week! There should be more Monday night parties! Why didn’t we think of it first?!” But we didn’t. Stella and Ambrose did, for his birthday, and for this reason, we thank them.

Stella and Ambrose have the most grown-up parties of anyone we know in London. Going to a party at their house is like stepping into the past, into a swanky, New York apartment circa 1932. Finding a young Hedy Lamarr at the grand piano would be no surprise. Their combined hospitality, gracious and easy, seems old-world as well, and one can’t help but feel both special, and spoiled in their company.