You know how expensive trains are these days? Well, I'd booked my ticket to London so far in advanced that a first class ticket was the same price as a standard one. However, I was also so excited about the week ahead, I ran to the station (convinced I was late) and jumped on a train an entire hour early. I only realised I'd hopped on the wrong train when a rather bemused ticket inspector handed me back my ticket with the reservation time underlined in thick blue pen. I have to say, my stomach dropped. In advanced, my ticket had only been fourteen quid, but on the day first class tickets were into the hundreds! Luckily the ticket inspectors were very nice and saw it had been a genuine mistake so didn't make me pay the full first class price, but by this point I was fairly shaken up by images of my student bank account shriveling into none existence! I'd even forgone the first round of complimentary biccies out of sheer terror. When everything was settled and my bank account hadn't died, I finally got to sit back and enjoy the wonders of first class, while cradling a glass of (complimentary) red wine- I think I deserved it!
From this point onwards, my weekend could only get better. My boyfriend (Marcus) and my mother (who'd been up in town that day) met me off the train and my mother whisked us off to another of her little haunting spots- the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel Booking Office. I loved the fact you could step off your platform and into this bar and simultaneously step back into the age of steam trains and top hats. The building its self has retained its Victorian magnificence without being overly imposing which made it a beautiful location to have a quick drink and a catch up. The cocktail menu was also steeped in history, bursting with reincarnated Victorian classics- I had a delicious Orchard Sour and M had a Sloe Gin Fizz. We also ordered a round of crab sandwiches (they were yummy!) which came with wickedly crispy but some how still fluffy chips. The only hiccup was we had a rather sour waitress, but hey, sometimes you just can't have it all!
After drinkies with Mumsie, M and I headed off home where he'd prepared me the cutest platter of nibbles (including my favouite smoked salmon bagel bites!) which we ate over a glass (or two) of sparkling wine, while watching the hilarity which is the BBC series "Penguins- A Spy in the Huddle' (narrated by David Tennant).
Salmon, mozzarella and spring onions on toast, sweet chili prawns and smoked salmon bagel bites
And then, with full tummies and happy thoughts of slipping penguins we headed to bed in preparation for the next day's celebrations.
(P.S- someone has made a brilliant collection of some of the funnier moments in Penguins- here's the youtube link!)
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