Sunday, January 27, 2008

Ida Lupino's Lemon Mousse


"Keeping a feminine approach is vital - men hate bossy females."

Don't you love getting a new pair of shoes home and checking the end of the box to see what they have been christened? These shoes are called "Ida Lupino". By someone... Not the actual designer or manufacturer in Bali I would have thought, but whoever is out there in etherland running a site called "Forbidden Shoes". Not the kind of site it promises to be from the name alas, but an actual online shoe shop. Of course, just as I am tempted to buy some of the Ava Gardner perfume that Ptolemy wears and just as I am tempted to buy the earrings that are replicas of the ones worn by Vivien Leigh in Gone With The Wind, I am tempted by the Ida Lupino shoes. If only they had an ankle strap...

Ida's Lemon Mousse was rustled up yesterday for a much needed ladies night in. We have all been scattered to the four winds of late so we were craving a good old fashioned Number 43 soiree with pyjamas on, chicken fajitas to eat and a movie to watch. We saw a MODERN film, believe it or not, one that isn't even out in the cinema yet. The kind that has "for your consideration" popping up every fifteen minutes. It was a heist film and I loved the occasional outbursts of phrases like, "Ooooh, they have really got themselves in trouble now!" from the ladies. Excellent.

I have a date this evening. With Mr Sombrero Delay at the seaside. This is like a proper date with a man I actually met IN PERSON rather than through the medium of the internet. We met, we chatted, we exchanged numbers, we arranged a date. How OLD FASHONED! I am strangely nervous.

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Pat O'Brien's Corned Beef and Potato Patties


The first genuinely inedible dish of the whole project was cooked up tonight. Grace was right to be suspicious of Pat's mush. Even if it was made with Marks and Spencer's prime posh corned beef it was a right dog's dinner. I wouldn't even let Ginger have a little taste. It all went in the bin. What on EARTH was he thinking of? It has surpassed Ginger Rogers' Butterscotch Date Pudding in the revolting stakes.

I don't like his politics and I don't like his patties.

However, much fun has been had today with the new toy that is known as Skype. Marilyn introduced me to the device and the reason she likes it so much soon became crystal clear. Later Grace and I had a very amusing video chat with The Artist and I flashed him my tassle-pants. All very teenage style behaviour but extremely entertaining.

I wonder if The Downstairs Neighbour has Skype. He is my first new prospect for 2008. Still trying to get my head around how on earth someone in the size of London can pick me out of a dating internet site and just HAPPEN to live in the flat below the one that I used to visit for liaisons with the Chaw-Bacon. How can that BE?

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Errol Flynn's Leg of Lamb


“The public has always expected me to be a playboy, and a decent chap
never lets his public down.”

I am beginning to think that Errol was quite a cook. His Leg of Lamb absolutely rocked. It was the cup of coffee with cream and sugar for basting that intrigued my supper guests. Ginger's beau said he could taste it in the crispy skin and the copyright busting addition of a third of a bottle of wine to the coffee infused gravy was an inspired touch by Cary. MMMM. I could eat another leg right now.

It is the dawn of a new year. How exciting. Many resolutions have been made involving a ukulele, a swimming pool, oily fish and nightclubs. The biggest resolution of course relates to men. For Rosalind insists we call these fellows men now not boys. The bottom line is this - no involvement in 2008 with men that make me cry. And I mean it!