Birthday week (2)

 On the actual day of my birthday I was due to have lunch in town with Bish. My friendship with him was for me one of the saving graces of lockdown. We have become much closer friends, albeit mostly through epic what's app messaging. But today serendipitously he was due to come into London so we could meet for lunch, and go for a walk afterwards to sate our common interest in architecture. 

I came into Old Street to avoid using the underground, and then allowed myself plenty of time to walk across London to our agreed meeting point at Warren Street, which meant following round the City Road. This, although a main artery, is actually an interesting route. With a  lot of impressive new buildings having gone up. Just not sure whether the market will be so strong for apartments on the edge of the City now...

This little walk (about 45 minutes) did take me past St Pancras hotel, looking splendid in the sunshine.

Bish had booked lunch at the Portman. Now this is not a place where money has been spent on the decor. It looks a bit like a works canteen. And the portions are not large, although for a three course lunch they were just nice. But the service was impeccable and I every morsel was delicious.

Lunch starter - squid ink linguine with trout roe

My main course - Roasted duck, confit leg, beetroot, cherry & radicchio

Bish went for lamb, ratatouille & ricotta

Followed by cheese

While I went for the brioche pain perdu, stone fruits, lemon verbena & yoghurt sorbet 

And since it was my birthday, the tiniest little "cake" to finish. Sweet!

And then we had our little walk around Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury

Senate House - a rather overbearing bit of art deco

St George the Martyr church

Queen Square

St George's Gardens are a rather hidden secret. You would not find them on a random wander. You need to know they are there, tucked away

St George's Bloomsbury, a Hawksmoor church

The Eisenhower Centre, now a storage depot but once the underground HQ of General Eisenhower during WWII

Pollocks Toy Museum

Statue to General Francisco de Miranda who was once a resident of Fitzroy Square - a South American revolutionary

Fitzroy Square was one of several great squares we passed through. It was developed by two brothers of the better known Robert Adam.

A splendid design feature of all these squares is the central garden, most of which are not open to the public, just the residents of the Square

So after ever such a nice walk, and general chat with Bish about life, the universe and everything, I wandered back whence I came to Old Street for the train home top prepare for my evening visitors, Eric and Elaine. Time for a late night drink in my back garden.

Along with Bish, Elaine has been another of my stalwarts over lockdown, changing from a charming work colleague whom I little new to being one of my best friends with whom I message most days.😊

It was a lovely end to a lovely day.