Pizzas, Playbills and Pavement-Pounding in NYC

Yesterday evening, we had a date at the New World Stages theatre to see a production of Murder for Two. Hell's Kitchen isn't necessarily the best place to find a great place for dinner and Don Antonio, a Neapolitan pizzeria on 50th Street, has the kind of signage you would walk right past. In fact, we did. Mum found that it had great reviews in the Zagat Guide, however, and it was right opposite the theatre, so we headed over. We had to wait 15 minutes for a table — by the time we left, the queue was way out the door — but it was nice to drink at the zinc bar. I had an excellent Vegas G and T with Hendrick's Gin, cucumber and juniper berries.

The staff also brought us nibbles: a sort of puffy dough ball with spicy tomato sauce. Once we were seated, we soon established that the pizzas were well worth the wait. I ordered a Capua, with buffalo mozzarella, prosciutto, rocket and pecorino. The pizzas were thin and crispy with a puffy crust. Delicious.

Murder for Two was a wacky but hilarious musical murder mystery. There are only two actors — one who plays a cop and one who plays ten suspects. The latter, who also co-wrote the musical, was particularly good, physically transforming from old lady to college student, to hunchbacked psychiatrist instantaneously. It was clever and funny, and it was only 90 minutes long.

This morning, I went running again. It was much milder than yesterday (i.e. minus two centigrade) but without the sunshine, so running was less painful but perhaps less pleasant too. I warmed up on the way back with a filter coffee from Ninth Street Espresso's Midtown outpost, and then after breakfast in the hotel, my parents and I went for a walk in Central Park and conducted the first leaps of the trip.

I then took the subway downtown, doing a little bit of shopping on that great stretch of Fifth Avenue north of Union Square. I then went to a great little espresso bar called Toby's Estate. It actually occupies a section of Club Monaco — as does a carefully curated selection of books from Strand and gorgeous fresh flowers. Toby's is sleek and chic inside, decked out all in white including a gorgeous white coffee machine. I enjoyed a rich, flavoursome pourover coffee — a Colombian Andina.

Refreshed, I headed downtown to meet my friend and colleague for lunch at a SoHo Mexican called Papatzul, on Grand Street. I had the spicy and delicious fried fish tacos and, peer pressured by my buddy, a super-strong tamarind margarita with a chilli rim. I was worried the boozy lunch might lower my shopping inhibitions, but the only thing I bought this afternoon was a bottle of Death's Door gin!

Ice Cold in NYC

I've been in New York for just over 24 hours now, and although it's been bloomin' freezing, it's been great. We were on an early flight yesterday and so we're shopping at Columbus Circle by 3 pm. Not bad! After a few quick purchases in J. Crew and Lululemon, I walked back to our hotel through Central Park. Although it was bright and sunny, there was still a lot of snow on the ground in the park, making for some pretty skyline pictures.

After a quick stop at the hotel, we went out for dinner at P.J. Clarke's, which was rammed, as always. I enjoyed a delicious Tommy Collins and a Cadillac burger with cheddar, smoked bacon and fries. Good old P.J. never disappoints.

This morning was even colder when I rose: the mercury barely tipped minus ten centigrade. Luckily, I was kitted out in my weatherproof Lululemon ware, but with the windchill it was still face-achingly cold. I did a quick loop up to the reservoir, before picking up a great Ethiopian Aeropress coffee at the midtown branch of Gregorys.

Mum and I headed straight out to an off-Broadway theatre to pick up some tickets for this evening, and then wandered our way down Broadway to SoHo, via Lord & Taylor to buy some bargainous weatherproof-but-chic leather boots.

We met Dad in SoHo for lunch at El Toro Blanco, a great, upscale Mexican restaurant on Sixth Avenue. We shared some chips and guacamole to start and then shared some chicken and fish tacos, and some enchiladas, washing everything down with some fruity and refreshing aguas frescas.

Oh yes; it's very good to be back.

What's in My Carry-On Bag

As this post goes live, I will hopefully be on my way to the airport. I'm off to New York for a few days of well-earned R and R with my parents. It's been a pretty hectic year at work so far, so I'm very grateful for a break in my favourite city. The weather looks like it will be cold but without too much of the epic winter that has defined 2014 so far. As I usually travel during warmer climes, I thought I would do an update in my 'what's in my travel bag?' series. This time I'm focusing on my carry-on bag.

My Mulberry Mitzy is still my favourite bag, but when I'm travelling — especially when I have my DSLR with me — I prefer a lighter bag. My first ever branded bag was a medium turquoise tote in Lonchamp's Le Pliage range, which I got about ten years ago and wore to death. More recently, I bought a slate grey version, also in medium, which I use all the time. It has long handles, so you can carry it on your shoulder, it's light, durable, stylish and goes with everything. You can also fit a lot inside, as you will see. The dark grey isn't available at the moment (it will probably be back in the winter), but if you're looking for a colour that goes with everything, I would suggest bilberry (a deep purple).

I like to keep the contents of my carry-on bag to essentials and breakables. Although the photo may suggest otherwise, not everything has to be pink, purple or turquoise. Roughly from left to right, my bag's contents include: my Moleskine NYC city notebook, pen, pink Marc by Marc Jacobs wallet, passport in a turquoise Kate Spade cover, gum, zoom lens for my camera, inflatable travel pillow, purple Longchamp coin purse for my dollars, pink Baggu fold-up tote, an apple, water, my J. Crew hat and gloves, my iPad Mini, my phone and — unfortunately — an umbrella. My DLSR — the Canon EOS 100D that I used to take the photo — will also go inside the bag tomorrow.

For years, I used a purple Kipling cabin-size suitcase for my short-haul travels, but at Christmas I invested in a new Samsonite cabin-size case in a steel blue shade. Bicester Village had some good deals on slightly older models of their Cosmolite, four-wheel spinners, so I paid £180 — not bad compared to the £279 price tag on the new, slightly lighter models. It's worth stopping by the Samonsite store at Bicester if you're passing that way and in the market for a new suitcase.

I'm not taking too much with me: three dresses, a skirt, a few tops, lots of super-thick fleece-lined tights, a couple of scarves, sunglasses, running kit, trainers, toiletries and chargers. The two books in my case are for people I'm visiting in New York (I'm restricting myself to e-books only), which will make a little more room for some of my inevitable purchases. Well, you never know...

The Caffeine Chronicles: B Street Deli

Bermondsey Street isn't exactly lacking in lovely destinations, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for one more. B Street Deli, for example, which opened a little while back towards the north end of the street, just up from Casse-Croûte. It used to be a flower shop and in fact they still sell a colourful selection of flowers, herbs and shrubs, which brighten up the front window.

B Street combines New York-style casual all-day dining with continental European ambiance. They sell and serve locally sourced food and drink, including cheese, bread, charcuterie and antipasti. Depending on the time of day, you can also stop by for a coffee, light meal or drink. When I bought a new plant there on Saturday afternoon, I noticed that they served V60 pourover coffee — two varieties, no less — and decided to give breakfast a go yesterday morning. Bermondsey Street is only a ten-minute walk from my flat and it felt decadent and New Yorky to go out for breakfast so close to home.

Inside, there is a long deli counter, which displays the many tempting wares; ten or so stools perch at a high table that runs the length of the opposite wall. It's quite dark inside — partly due to the dark walls, which are decorated with exotic produce sacks — but cosy, and if you are lucky you can grab a seat by the window and enjoy the many people-watching opportunities Bermondsey Street has to offer.

The coffee comes from South London roastery Volcano, which I sampled most recently at Drink, Shop & Dash, and for the pourover, I had to choose between a Costa Rican Tarrazu and a Gashonga from Rwanda. I feel a certain affinity towards Costa Rican coffee after my trip last year, but this time, the bourbon and honey notes in the Gashonga won me over and soon I was decanting my coffee (£3.20) into my mug. The coffee was slightly tangy, but strong flavoursome; I think I'll have to add Gashonga to my mental list of good varieties to order.

As for breakfast, the menu isn't huge at the moment, but I was very pleased with my boiled eggs and soldiers (£3.95). The toast was thick and crusty and although the soldiers were too big to dip into the eggs without further pruning, I had no complaints about the quantity or quality of either the bread or the eggs. They also serve toast with jam and granola with yoghurt, as well as a selection of breads, pastries and, if you're feeling particularly naughty, cakes.

Bermondsey Street can get very busy, especially on weekday evenings and Saturdays from brunchtime onwards, but yesterday morning, the deli had a calm, relaxed vibe, with a regular stream of customers but no crowds. I would be very happy sitting there sipping a Jensen's Bermondsey Gin and tonic of an evening, but I suspect seating may well be at a premium. Nonetheless, I am pleased to be able to add a low-key but well-thought-out local eatery to my repertoire.

B Street Deli. 88 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3UB (Tube: London Bridge). Website. Twitter.

The Caffeine Chronicles: White Mulberries Review

Searching for a new caffeine highlight in London, I realised that White Mulberries was actually pretty close to my place. It is north of the river but only barely, nestling near Tower Bridge in a quiet, sun-drenched corner of St Katharine Docks, along with all the luxury yachts. I had never been to St Katharine Docks and today was a good time to go, as it was bright and sunny, if chilly.

Although good coffee is easy to find in some parts of London these days, it can be quite tricky finding a place that offers drip-to-order filter coffee or Aeropress brews. White Mulberries does offer Aeropress-brewed coffee, as well as espresso drinks, tea and a huge selection of cakes and other sweet and savoury treats. I ordered an Aeropress brew and a spicy chicken panino and took a seat in the window. There are only a handful of tables and perching spots inside but on sunny days, you can sit out front — the view is better there too.

It's easy to while away time people-watching and admiring the mini-harbour. It's almost like being in Saint Tropez, except with more taste and better coffee. My Aeropress coffee was very good. I'm not sure what variety of coffee it was, but it was strong, rich and with a slight fruity acidity.

I thought about ordering a macchiato too, but I was already on coffee number three of the day, and so settled for a mini caramel macaron instead. If I had seen the chocolate and custard cronuts before I ordered my huge sandwich, I might have chosen a smaller main course so that I could make room. Ah well; next time.

White Mulberries. D3 Ivory House, St Katharine Docks, London, E1W 1AT (Tube: Tower Hill). Website. Twitter.

My Picks for the 2014 Academy Awards

For the first time in a few years, there have been two really great films in the running for the Best Picture category at the Oscars. I really enjoyed Argo and I was pleased that it won the Best Picture last year, but I'm not sure that its greatness will necessarily stand the test of time.

My selections for the 2014 Academy Awards are hampered by the fact that I haven't seen a few of the key movies, including Her, Nebraska and Philomena, but I have picked out my favourites in several of the major categories. It was hard to choose between 12 Years a Slave and Gravity because each is extremely impressive in a very different way. Ultimately, I think the former should win Best Picture and I hope the award doesn't go to American Hustle instead, which I liked but which isn't a truly great film. I hope Cuarón gets the recognition he deserves for Gravity, but David O. Russell could well end up seizing victory, especially after narrowly missing out for Silver Linings Playbook and The Fighter. It was also nice to see Before Midnight getting a nod for Best Adapted Screenplay, although I'm not entirely sure what it was adapted from — there was a lot of improvisation, so perhaps that contributed.

I had a tough job choosing between Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club and Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years a Slave in the Best Actor category; I don't think Leonardo DiCaprio should win for The Wolf of Wall Street, but the Academy may just feel that it's finally his time. Meanwhile, Cate Blanchett surely has the Best Actress category sewn up, right (unless the Academy members have seen The Monuments Men and baulk at her "French" accent). I think new-to-the-big-screen Lupita Nyong'o should win Best Supporting Actress, but can she stop the seemingly unstoppable Jennifer Lawrence? I guess we will see on Sunday night.

Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave [seen 6/9]
Best Director: Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity [seen 4/5]
Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey,  Dallas Buyers Club [seen 4/5]
Best Supporting Actor: Barkhad Abdi, Captain Phillips [seen 5/5]
Best Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine [seen 3/5]
Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong'o, 12 Years a Slave [seen 3/5]
Best Adapted Screenplay: Before Midnight [seen 4/5]
Best Original Screenplay: American Hustle [seen 3/5]

Oh, and speaking of the Oscars, isn't this infographic showing the dresses worn by all the Best Actress Oscar winners awesome?

Courtesy of: Mediarun

The Caffeine Chronicles: Drink Shop Dash Review

Since the sad demise of the Brewhouse on York, King's Cross has returned to its former dearth of good coffee. Yes, there's Caravan, but their fancier brew techniques are better for sitting in with a pizza rather than grabbing a quick drink to go. Enter Drink, Shop & Dash on Caledonian Road, a new coffee and fro-yo purveyor from the people behind the neighbouring Drink, Shop & Do.

Drink, Shop & Dash is tiny inside with only a few seats at the window. But it makes up for its small size by packing considerable heft in terms of coffee geekery. I've tried a couple of different filter coffees (they rotate each week) and will soon be offering Aeropress brews. The friendly staff really know their stuff too.

The coffee is from Volcano, a small-batch coffee roastery from south-east London. My favourite filter coffee so far has been a smooth, chocolatey Mexican offering, although the Rwandan sample I tried on Friday was also pretty good (and very different).

And for fans of espresso-based drinks, I'm pleased to report that the espresso is also very good with a nice crema and a rich, strong taste.

Drink, Shop & Dash also serves cakes and a range of home-made sandwiches and light bites. In sum, they are a great addition to the King's Cross area and as they are just around the corner from my office, I'm doing my best to support them, lest they go the same way as the ill-fated Brewhouse.

Drink, Shop & Dash. 11 Caledonian Road, London, N1 9DX (Tube: King's Cross). Facebook. Twitter.