Author Archives: sheg4184

Stream of Consciousness

Posted on 24 July 2016 by sheg4184

Earlier this year, back home in Manila, the Metropolitan Museum held a fascinating and unusual exhibition. “Tapas: Spanish Design for Food,” presented by Accion Cultural Espanola, the Instituto Cervantes Manila and the Spanish Embassy, was a display of food, kitchen … Continue reading →

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The Chequers, The Chasers and a Country Market

Posted on 19 July 2016 by sheg4184

While everyone here has been complaining that the English summer has been grim, with endless pouring rain and much flooding, since I arrived two weeks ago, the weather has been sublime and, thanks to all that rain, the countryside is blooming and exuberantly, … Continue reading →

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Lyon, Gastronomic Capital of France

Posted on 6 July 2016 by sheg4184

Lyon,  a city of churches and bridges, “trompe l’œil” and Roman ruins, sits cosily on the confluence of the Rhone and the Saone rivers in central France. Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is also a city renowned … Continue reading →

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La Piccola Cucina Italiana

Posted on 24 June 2016 by sheg4184

It is lunchtime. Well, four o’clock actually, but this is Spain, where ‘time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so,’ to quote Einstein and Douglas Adams. The tiny garage restaurant at the crossroads is packed to the gunnels. The owner is … Continue reading →

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An Old Casino and a Catalonian Thunderstorm

Posted on 20 June 2016 by sheg4184

It is a Thursday night in Pals, a small town in Catalonia, just a few miles inland from the Costa Brava in northern Spain. The bar down the road is celebrating its 50th birthday with bunting and beer and cheerful … Continue reading →

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“I can see clearly now…”

Posted on 11 June 2016 by sheg4184

Last weekend, in a bustling café on a boulevard in the south of France, I watched two trays of Aperol Spritz heading to neighbouring tables, where diners were keen to kick off with a little splash of sunshine before brunch. As … Continue reading →

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A Tale of Steak and Ceviche

Posted on 3 June 2016 by sheg4184

The Smith Butcher & Grill Room has been getting very good reviews by word-of-mouth and on the internet. So, as this month it celebrated its first birthday, we decided we were well overdue for a visit. Smith B&G is an unexpectedly  cavernous … Continue reading →

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“Fashion Fantasy”

Posted on 28 May 2016 by sheg4184

“Every day is a fashion show and the world is your runway” ~ Chanel Last night I was a super model. OK, well maybe not quite a “super” model, but I didn’t fall off the catwalk, which I consider a … Continue reading →

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Dream Kitchen

Posted on 15 May 2016 by sheg4184

“…But the kitchen will not come into its own again until it ceases to be a status symbol and becomes again a workshop… [and] you and I will know it chiefly by its fragrances and its clutter. It won’t be … Continue reading →

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The Dinner Party

Posted on 6 May 2016 by sheg4184

“Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”  – Harriet Van Horne,  journalist Since the genesis of shows like Master Chef and the rise of Jamie, Nigella, Gordon and Curtis, who amongst you has … Continue reading →

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