Bond Street and Brick Lane

Lisa and Ben were both working today, so after a holiday sleep in, I made my way to Bond St via the tube to explore. I have to say, though, that today was the craziest weather since I've been here. When I got up this morning it was pouring with rain. By the time I was ready to leave it was blue skies and sunshine, and then when I emerged from Bond St station it was raining again! After that it was cloudy, then sunshine while raining, then pouring again! You have to leave the house prepared for all types of weather situations... it would definitely limit my shoe wardrobe if I lived here! So I spent some time exploring Oxford St, New Bond St, Regent St and Jermyn St. I then caught the tube down to St Paul's and met Ben at work. Ben works for a company called Baxter Storey which is located near the Thames, a large building with mostly professional occupants. Baxter Storey is a contract catering company which provides inhouse catering to the clients within the building. On the ground floor there is a cafeteria where they have a variety of lunch options daily... all for the bargain price of 2.95 (pounds). Now that's a cheap lunch! A few floors up there is also a number of meetings rooms. Clients in the building can book these rooms and then arrange to have a 'lunch service'. This is usually a 2 or 3 course lunch served as part of the meeting/conference/presentation etc. they are holding. There is an onsite kitchen and team of staff on the same floor that prepare the menu's daily and serve to the clients (usually exec's) who have booked the rooms. It's pretty flash - and a great idea. Can't really imagine this at good old Barry Parade - but it's impressive none the less! After checking out Ben's work, we took a stroll up Bow Lane for some window shopping.


It was then time to eat (again! - I seem to be eating my way around this city!) and for dinner we ventured to Brick Lane - the most famous thoroughfare in East London. It is also the centre of the Bangladeshi and Bengali communities, and hence, great Indian food. Indian restaurants are really a dime a dozen on this street, but after stumbling upon one with "Taj" in the title, we figured we couldn't go wrong! Although it would take a lot to outdo "Taj" at home, it measured up pretty well and was a great Indian meal - albiet a bit spicy for me, but perfect for Ben. We had a nice bottle of red with dinner, and by the time we had finished the bottle and made it home, Lisa had beaten us back from work!