Weekend Rewind...Carnival Style

What a weekend!! It was full of spontaneity and new experiences. Told yal I would find some hidden gems...

Friday was a just a normal day, started with a run in Hyde Park with the Mr and because I can't keep up with his sprint style running we did our own thing but when we needed to meet back up it was like a scavenger hunt...texting each other what landmarks we were near...it was fun. I planned to try chicken tikka masala from the recommendation of Calista and it was awesome! There is a Masala Zone restaurant just a couple blocks from the flat.

Later in the evening we thought we should try out the clubbing scene of London...Ibiza style. We went to Pacha which is a satellite club from the original in Ibiza. We had fun but it was just not the same. 

Saturday was cool and rainy all day. We went to a new market that was covered, Covent Garden Market. It was different, more so a craft market. I had read online there was an Italian festival going on in the same area...um, don't believe everything you read on the internet...Thanks Mr. Al Gore. No festival in sight...

What we did find was the most-amazing-mouthwatering-scrumptious-finger-licking-goodness SOUTHERN KITCHEN!!! Joe's Southern Kitchen and Bar was a gem! I ate way too much but it was absolutely out of this world yumo! 

All the details were perfect reflection of the South

We started the meal with some coq n' balls...fried chicken and monterrey jack cheese...CHEESE PLEASE!

That homemade hot sauce was phenomenal! 

I drooled all over that menu trying to decide what to order and I finally settled on the coq of the week. 

Bacon salt!?!? What?? 

That's a masterpiece of food art

As if that wasn't enough to throw me into a coma we had to try the pecan pie with Jim Beam whipped cream.

That pecan pie had class

And that my friends is how you clean your plate

We did walk around the market for a little bit before heading back to the flat for a much need nap. 

Covent Garden Market

Who needs flower pots when you have pianos?!

Sunday we woke up and the Notting Hill Carnival was in full swing. It is the largest festival in it's kind within Europe. Over a million people were expected to attend and I think about half of them were walking pass the flat. We read that Sunday was the children's day of the Carnival and thus decided to just get out of town for the afternoon. Prior to coming to London we watched the reality show The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE). It is based on some young 20-somethings and their daily lives in Brentwood. It is only about 45 mins away and some of the stars have boutiques in the small town...so why not!? We ate lunch at Taratino Italian Restaurant and I had fresh tomato soup that was delish and of course ended the meal with some tiramisu. 

The infamous Sugar Hut club of TOWIE

Seriously it was such a quiet, quaint, sweet town...nice change! 

Went to Lucy's Boutique and of course found a purse

Sunday ended with some fun people watching with Carnival patrons making their way back to where ever they came from...it was absolutely entertaining. Yesterday was a bank holiday so I think more adults attended the Sunday events even though it was declared the children's day. We thought we would see what it was all about during lunch when the Mr had a little break from work. WOW! ... that's all I kept saying. It was so fun! 

The parade lasted from 10a-7p

Lots of beautiful costumes

Even the flats were having a good time

Mount Gay Rum!! Reminded me of our honeymoon...wanted one but didn't.

The amount of trash was horrendous! There were no trash bins anywhere.

So folks that was our weekend in rewind, lots of good eating and fun times...now on to the eight loads of laundry that keep screaming at me! I'll show them who's boss!

Cheers, Nelly