miss b loves .....blue skies in London and a visit to Cake Boy.

We were blessed with amazing weather in London before Christmas. The clear blue skies and sunshine were quite unexpected as back home in the North it had been grey and wet for days (and we returned to grey, wet days too!)  

St Paul's Cathedral

As we were staying near Kensington Gardens, it was an opportunity to have a morning walk (and we needed the exercise, especially after a full English breakfast!)

The Italian Garden,
 Kensington Gardens

It really was more like a spring day .......and the pastel coloured houses in Notting Hill looked even prettier against the blue cloudless sky...

On dry days like these I would rather walk where possible rather than take the underground. There's so much to see and discover around every corner.... 

'Young Dancer' by Enzo Plazzotta 
opposite the Royal Opera House

I'm always fascinated by the human statues too in Covent Garden ....

Seven Dials, just five minutes from here is the perfect area for a stroll, shop and of course a coffee. 

There's even a Pierre Hermé should you be craving a few macarons!

I can recommend Monmouth Coffee Company although there always seems to be a queue!

Another favourite though is Timberyard. London really does have a great coffee culture now!

I had heard that Eric Lanlard had opened a cake boutique and café called Cake Boy in London and we were determined to find it. It's a little out of the way in Battersea Reach but well worth the journey. The cakes, as we expected, are divine...

 Our final choice ....after much deliberation...

Last year, during the Taste of Dubai  event we had the pleasure of meeting Jean-Christophe Novelli and Eric Lanlard. They took the time to pose for photos and chat in between their cookery demonstrations

Here is Eric Lanlard signing our new book ....

His café lounge is very bright and glamorous.....

There's a kitchen where his baking classes take place (with equally glamorous, colour coordinated Kitchen Aid mixers!) 

I couldn't resist taking a very special cupcake home ...

.....and surprisingly, it travelled very well and arrived home in one piece! 

Delicious chocolate....with a touch of sparkle and a miniature bar of chocolate on the side! 

I think I'll need to attend several of those classes to recreate anything vaguely like that spectacular cupcake!