Strolling Through Borough Market

London’s frenetic energy is easy to get swept into. Easy to move with the flow of the crowds, easy to get lost in the people watching and easy to surrender the the organized chaos that beats at the heart of the city. One of the best places to do so is Borough Market — a microcosm of its own.

Despite it being the middle of the week and not the weekend, it’s pact. The sounds, smells and sights all seduce the senses — and I start to salivate as it washes over me. Large quantities of risotto, paella, English pies and tarts tantalize the taste buds as I pass vendors who expertly serve up their delicious cuisine. Businessmen and tourists alike flock to a stand selling mushroom risotto and the scents wafting from the stall make it apparent why. It smells incredible — and I’m not a fan of mushrooms. Every patron I see leave the stall has a huge smile and a bowl of fungus based goodness.

A stall offering goods from a local bakery entices me to stop and check them out — if only because they are selling the best looking jammy cookies and I can’t simply walk by. They are perfect. The shortbread cookie is the right amount of flaky and breaks nicely, not too sweet. The jam is not gooey or sticky and the ration between the two is just right.

Further on, a specialty store selling Croatian delicacies piques my interest — since my trip last fall, I’ve been trying to find good Croatian food state side and I can’t. At least, not where I live. The aroma of truffles and the bags of Istrian fuzi lure me in and I walk away with my foodie treasures knowing that once I’m home, they won’t last very long. I love Borough market — and despite it not being overly large, it’s easy to lose hours to walking through the stalls and shops eating and drinking my way to a euphoric bliss.

York Oct 2022

It’s been over a decade since I’ve been to York, and in that time I’ve learned so much more about the city’s historical significance to England as a whole — so when I step off the train on what turns out to be a gorgeous autumn day, I’m filled with giddy anticipation. Just beyond the train station, the picturesque city walls offer splendid views of the old city. Last time I was here, it was December and while the city looked like something out of a fairytale, it was a little too cold to walk the walls.

Years ago, an elementary school friend of mine moved to York — in fact the reason I traveled to York the first time was to visit her. After moving away — and all around England — she’s back in York just in time to meet me for lunch and a quick “tour.” We’re able to take advantage of the perfect weather and sit outside while catching up. Of course, having known me for a long time, she knows what I like to see, so after lunch we head start to walk the cities ancient walls so we can find a picturesque spot of the Mister. Although, in all honesty the Minster is almost always picturesque. However it’s made even more with the beautiful autumnal colors that surround it. A quick visit to the old ruins of St Mary’s Abbey and a walk through the shambles — or more specifically the snickleways to avoid the crowds on this busy Sunday afternoon. Too soon she has to leave to go work and I’m left on my own.

The remainder of the day is devoted to the spots I didn’t get to experience last time. One of particular that I’m anxious to see is Clifford’s tower — with it’s ties to Medieval English history and the Pilgrimage of Grace it’s irresistible to me. I’ve learned that it’s recently been “refurbished” and what once was castle ruins and an open field is now a tower that one can climb and view the city.

When the sunsets it starts to get windy and temps drop. I duck into a deserted pub along the river Ouse for dinner, watching a group gather for a York Ghost Walk tour, before I catch the train home. I’m sadden to leave York once again — and am determined to return, if only to take that tour.

Dinner At The Aquashard

I knew when I booked the reservation months in advance that I would be potentially be booking a dinner at a known tourist trap. But I’ve never been able to resist a good sweeping aerial view of a major metropolitan city. There’s something about seeing a city from above that gives me such a serene sense of peace. Of course, I wanted the experience to be as photogenic as possible and thus went online and looked up sunset times for London on the night of our reservation. If you’re going to eat dinner so far above the city streets, why not take advantage of the view and eat at the most opportune time?

Sunsetting over the river Thames and St Paul’s as seen from the Aquashard restaurant.

To my surprise and delight, the dinner was not at all touristy. While there certainly were tourists, there did also appear to be local businessmen wining and dining clients, women having celebrating ladies night out and and couples enjoying a nice meal. Now maybe they were all tourists, but they didn’t give off that vibe. The meal, while expensive, was exquisite and worth it — honestly, for the quality of the food and the excellence of the preparation it wasn’t that pricy. I can think of other high end restaurants where the quality of food doesn’t match the price point and where the atmosphere is less than thrilling.

Each course was excellently prepared and presented. Starting with a creamy burrata over veggies covered in a light lemon sauce. Main course was a medium-rare lamb and feta + cucumber tart. Normally, I don’t eat meat medium-rare, which I know some will think a food sin, but given the knowledge of the waiters, it’s hard not to trust their judgement. They were right, the lamb ended up maintaining its full flavor which paired nicely with aubergine puree underneath. The highlight of the meal was of course dessert — is anyone surprised? The guava, passionfruit and raspberry puree was surround by sugar heated and molded to match its namesake — the Shard.

Is the Shard a must for dinner? No. It’s London, you’re going to have amazing food options everywhere. But is the Shard worth it should you decide to eat dinner here? Yes. Absolutely. The views alone would be worth the dinning experience but the excellent food and service make it that much better.