Pendant le week end

This weekend M and I had our first guest to stay, the bad Miss K.

Much shopping was done, delicious life-affirming fattening food was consumed and gossip dished. Of course, we were talking about you.

On Friday night we went to the Brighton institution that is 'Bills' in North Laine and ate pie. What is it about pie that makes a missed train or a hurting finger recede into the background and make everything all right? K and I had Hunters chicken, ham, (and about one hundred herbs and spices) and vegetable pie, served in a big dish on your plate with a golden pillowy pastry top. The pie came with baby savoy cabbage and colcannon mash slathered with butter and herbs. M had the fattest vegetarian canneloni I have ever seen. We oohed and ahhed at the ecelectic cake selection which seemed to have been created by magic cake pixies and staggered out replete and contented vowing to return to eat our way through their dessert menu.

Saturday, oh my, was devoted to our two favourite occupations - shopping and food.

After a hearty breakfast in 'Ethels Kitchen' (a full English with a pot of Sussex Tea and orange juice) where we savoured every bite of the potato and herb rosti parcels. After we were ready to launch ourselves upon Brightons shops. First was 'Bird & Rose' where I thought Miss K might succumb to the charms of old French linen tablecloths or some dainty teacups. But no, K is a lady who knows the whole hog when she sees it and bought a dining table. Walnut, with delicate curved legs and lions paw feet hiding old brass castors.

After that we went into town via the back roads and resisting the charms of 1950s teadresses and 1930s bakerlite bangles in 'Wardrobe' (on Dean Street) we proceeded to Kemp Town. Ah Kemp Town how I love you so. In the flea market on Upper St James Street K completed her sitting room ensemble with another table! This time a darker burr walnut Georgian tea table  with the same style legs as the dining table. Also coming home were some art deco cake knives. I bought another apothecary bottle ('Benedicts Solution'), an old faded blue patterned plate and a Georgian sugar shaker which K informs me looks like a very stylish Dalek.

M very valiantly carried our tea table and was the model other half. He deserves a medal for putting up with me sometimes.

We also nipped into 'Frocks Away' vintage boutique where Kate bought a 1950s bathing suit like mine. I have black with red polka dots and she has black with red cherries on. Retro fabulous. I adore the little gathered skirt at the front and rounded plunge cups. It makes ones waist look tiny.

1950s Style Polka Dot Swimsuit

Next was 'Pardon my French' where I succumbed to French grey and pink flowered pyjamas ( I admit I was jealous of Kates ones she wore at my house) and again we womanfully resisted handmade soaps and robes in 'Hank and Hugo', antlers and glass domes in 'Alex MacArthur' and any number of gilded fripperies  and Italian sparkly chandeliers in 'Three Angels' on the way home through Seven Dials.

Sadly we didn't get to our local (misspelt) indie night as I was feeling a bit wan so we repaired to my drawing room to watch 'Hot Fuzz' and eat our own weight in brie. Not just any brie as those adverts would say but 'Cooperative Truly Irresistible Channel Island Golden Brie'. It oozed, it clung, it comforted and it went down rather well with a rosé and some salad. Truly an orgasmic cheese. So good in fact that Kate bought two rich triangles of same and carried them back to Tooting.

Sunday morning was devoted to bacon sandwiches and a brisk walk in horizontal rain along by Hove beach huts. Kate was rather taken I feel with our proximity to the beach (only two streets away) but our coiffure thought otherwise. Such wind! We popped into iGigi on the way home and eyed up their wonky French plates and scented linen tablecloths. We also eyed up their fantastic cake selection but knew we had a roast lunch awaiting us at 'The Foragers'. It was sublime: organic roast chicken and Sussex Spring lamb glistening in puddles of thick homemade gravy. When the sun came out it was time for Kate and her tables to go home and us to rise to the challenge of getting us all in our rented car. Tetris has nothing on us. We sang to The Ting Tings on the A23 and congratulated ourselves with tea in proper cups and lemon cupcakes on the newly acquired tea table on arrival in Tooting.

A heavenly heavenly weekend.

Then M and I returned home and started painting...