Wednesday and another chance to escape the dust and noise of home.
Nick was to pick me up at the house before we headed west to Bray. I knew I should have looked at a map as Nick assured me the SATNAV would take us to our lunchtime destination, Caldesi, an authentic italian restaurant run by Giancarlo Caldesi.
We spent the first 20 minutes of our journey touring the back streets of Southall as the SATNAV took us the scenic (ok it wasnt that scenic) route to Bray.We stopped for petrol and made few ajustments to our navigation aid, and we we're quickly back on route.
Shortly after we arrived at our destination in Bray, a large people carrier pulled up along side us. Out stepped the owner of Caldesi , Giancarlo, and after a brisk introduction we we're ushered inside. Giancarlo insisted that we let him order for us, to ensure we sampled a real Tuscan lunchtime experience.
We had a tremendous meal complete with two white, one rose, one red and one desert wine.( Hic )
Giancarlo was an enthusiastic host, if a little intense at times as he tried to explain the ins and outs of running a top class restaurant. Nick was in the firing line for most of our hosts probing whilst I tried to impress the manager with my very limited knowledge of Italian wine. I also managed to sneak off from time to time to take a few photos, including a few in the kitchens, watching the head chef in action was fun. I cant remember all the wonderful food we had(probably the wine) just check out their website . I'd love to eat here again.

http://www.campagna.caldesi.com/page.php?intPageID=12

Two concerts to go to, what a nice way to start the week and to help us forget the crappy weather.
Both gigs were part of the London Jazz Festival. Not sure either concert could be called jazz, certainly not what the popular press would class as Jazz. Monday night saw us at the Barbican to see Chick Corea and Bela fleck. An unusual combination.Chick is recognised as a legendary jazz musician (except when he plays with his electric band, who's guitar led fusion seems to upset the traditionalists) Bela is a banjo player from NYC who leads his own unique band who blend jazz,rock,bluegrass. With just two musicians on stage it was hardly going to be a lively affair, still a really enjoyable evening.
Tuesday we headed to Dingwalls in Camden town to see Matt Schofield, a young british blues guitar player who has caught the eye of the US blues critics. We've seen Matt several times this year and he never disappoints. Hi trio are a tight funky unit, this evening with the tenor sax of PeeWee Ellis. The legendary horn man from Van Morrison's band.
Another great evening, in a nice venue.

I love cooking, and as I work from home (semi-retired, not my words but probably true) I'm in charge of pretty much all the meals in our family.
The thought of having a new shiny kitchen where I can chop my veg, sip a glass or two of vino and listen to a bit of music certainly got my juices flowing.
The harsh reality of life with our building work going on is beginning to drive me mad. Actually not just me but Lauren and Julie too. Reduced to cooking with the microwave, previously only used to defrost a previously prepared chilli or to soften a spoon bending tub of Ben & Jerry's, fills me with dread.
The one thing I have managed prepare is chicken in a lemon sauce with baked potatoes and a bit of broccolli.
However,the novelty of this admittedly tasty meal is begining to wear off.
Imagine our delight when a friendly neighbour invited us over for dinner. At last a meal in a warm welcoming home. The friends in question are keen cooks themselves so we were anticipating a tasty evening.
As we took our seats around the dinner table, Julie said, to no one in particular, "I never want to see another baked potato for as long as I live!" At which point our kind hosts appear from the kitchen with serving dishes piled high with chicken and, you've guessed it , baked potatoes!!
Still It was delicious meal in good company ,none of whom seemed to have heard Julie's gaff.

This week it was back to Bowden Smyth in leafy Godalming (actually, as it's autumn the leaves are on the ground)
Just a couple of days. but as money is flowing out of my pocket and into the builders I musn't grumble.
I quite enjoy seeing Jax and the crew, they're all ex "lahndan" types who unsurprisingly prefer living in the country.
The biggest drawback to working in leafy Surrey is the commute.
I awake to the not so soothing voice of the LBC travel reporter who usually announce that the tube (well my line at least) is running with delays due to late running engineering or because some inconsiderate loony has thrown themselves under the nearest train.
To get to Waterloo I have to change from the Piccadilly line at Green Park to get a Jubilee line train.
This involves a long walk along a long tunnel that smells of sweaty socks. A question. Why do Jubilee line trains make that strange howling noise?
The overland train to Godalming is quite enjoyable. Boarding at Waterloo I can get a seat, and this week ,fed up with reading about z list celebrities in the free Metro paper, I bought myself Eric Clapton's autobiography and settled in to my seat on the sunny side of the 8.15 to Haslemere.
Working for the day with the creative director (jax) is always a fairly relaxed affair. We're both old enough and experienced enough to get on with the work as well as having a laugh.
Going home is never as nice as the outward journey. The Train back to waterloo is usually crowded so it's on with the ipod, and on this occasion, get my nose into my book.
I could get off the train at Clapham junction to get a train to Brentford, but since I sold my 'commuting bike' I usually stayed on the train until Waterloo.
Back on to the howling jubilee line to Green Park. To be truly comfortable standing on the westbound platform of the Piccadilly Line in the evening may I suggest wearing a swim suit. Scorchio!
Wednesday evening was no different, I had, thinking it was getting cooler , worn a fleece lined denim jacket on top of a long-sleeved t-shirt.
Ten minutes passed before a train arrived. so full I couldn't get on. I waited for the next train still too full.
Eventually they announced severe delays to the Piccadilly and Victoria lines. This left me the only option of a Central Line to Ealing. My ipod has enough tunes on it to play for 4 and a half days.Just as well.
Julie and Lauren who had been out to athletics picked me up from the station. Hunger had kicked in at this late stage of the day so we all started shouting at one another. A McDonalds meal washed down with a glass of red wine was hardly a great way to end the day.
Thursdays journey seemed to be going ok until I arrived at Waterloo were a larger than normal crowd stood staring up at the destination board.
Delays cancellations. oh dear! Yes, someone had thrown themselves under a train at Byfleet, marvelous.
After a busy day I made my way to the quaint station at Godalming for my journey home.
"Bing Bong " 'the 17.51 train is running 30 minutes late due to a tree on the line somewhere off, deep in the dark Surrey countryside! Oh ,well at least I have the time to read about Eric Clapton slow slide into heroin addiction.!

Thursday saw Nick and i head to Cambridge for the latest of our out of town lunchtime assignments. Rattling up from Kings Cross on the train, Nick amused us with his SatNav which he had in his stylishly battered journalist bag.I think the SatNav was a touch confused as it kept telling us to turn on to the next available road!
I think I've only ever been to Cambridge once before, I rode a charity bike event from London. After 60 odd miles I was in no fit state to admire the famous university town.
Funny enough i was almost as equally exhausted by the time we arrived at the restaurant on Thursday. I had mistakenly allowed myself to be guided to our destination by Nick.
A combination of not reading the email instructions, ignoring the pocket SatNav and some very poor house numbering on the street, meant we we're late for lunch. In fact it had taken us nearly as long to walk from the station as it had for us to travel on the train from London!
quite a feat as our lunchtime venue is but a buttered rolls throw away from the station..
Alimentum was a lovely restaurant, and after we had recovered from our hike with a large glass of water each, we had a very pleasant lunch. You can check out what we had to eat at www.london-eating.co.uk.

The last couple of days have been fun! I've been able to indulge in my two favourite hobbies; music and wine.

Thursday night was spent at the Islington Academy, a venue new to me. I was there to see my favourite guitar player. Derek Trucks. Derek has played with The Allman Brothers Band, Eric Clapton and is widely recognised as the finest exponent of the slide guitar player in the universe.

I'd managed to beg a photo pass from the band's management. We found a decent vantage point upstairs, and with my new 300m lens I managed to capture the action. I turned everything on my digital camera to manual, including the focus. Any way the gig was as fantastic as I knew it would be, after all I've flown to NYC to see him play!

Friday. I was up early, and still a little deaf from the previous night's gig! Met up with Nick (Editor of London Eating, come on keep up, I've mentioned him before). We were going to a wine tasting at Bookers vineyard in the sleepy village of Bolney West Sussex. Shame the weather was a bit misty. We were shown the vines where the various grapes are grown then it was off to see how the grapes became wine.

Then the good bit, the tasting!! Quite nice but typical English wine, a bit thin and low on alcohol! Still enjoyable. Our guide was a genuine wine anorak, but entertaining and informative.

A buffet lunch followed the tasting and there was a free bottle of vino to take home.

Looks like I'm back in the world of advertising next week down in leafy Godalming.